Copyright James King, 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (except for brief passages for purpose of review) without the prior permission of Dundurn Press. Permission to photocopy should be requested from Access Copyright.
Publisher: Scott Fraser | Editor: Dominic Farrell
Cover designer: Laura Boyle | Interior designer: Sophie Paas-Lang
Cover image: Craig Boyko. Michael Snow. 2012. Photograph.
Back cover image: Michael Snow. Mixed Feelings. Acrylic on canvas. 253 x 150.6 cm.
Vancouver Art Gallery.
Author photo: Julie Thompson
Printer: Friesens
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Title: Michael Snow : lives and works / James King.
Names: King, James, 1942- author.
Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20190140666 | Canadiana (ebook) 20190140682 | ISBN 9781459741348 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781459741355 (PDF) | ISBN 9781459741362 (EPUB)
Subjects: LCSH: Snow, Michael, 1928- | LCSH: Snow, Michael, 1928-Criticism and interpretation.| LCSH: ArtistsCanadaBiography. | LCSH: Self-perception in art.
Classification: LCC N6549.S64 K56 2019 | DDC 709.2dc23
1 2 3 4 5 23 22 21 20 19
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit and Ontario Creates, and the Government of Canada.
Care has been taken to trace the ownership of copyright material used in this book. The author and the publisher welcome any information enabling them to rectify any references or credits in subsequent editions.
The publisher is not responsible for websites or their content unless they are owned by the publisher.
Printed and bound in Canada.
VISIT US AT
dundurn.com
@dundurnpress
dundurnpress
dundurnpress
Dundurn
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5E 1M2
In memory of my father, James Raymond King (19091966)
CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES
INTRODUCTION |
. | Michael Snow. Red5. 1974. Dry coupler print on paper. 63.2 x 79.2 cm. National Gallery of Canada. |
CHAPTER ONE: Origins |
. | Marie-Antoinette Lvesque. 1921. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Gerald Bradley Snow. c. 1920. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Elzar Lvesque with his son Robert. June 1918. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Lac Clair cottage. Photograph by Michael Snow. Michael Snow. |
. | Lvesque family home, 220 Racine Street, Chicoutimi. 1922. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael and Denyse Snow. 1939. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael Snow. Aeroplane Ace. 1938. Drawing. Michael Snow. |
CHAPTER TWO: Conversion |
. | Marie-Antoinette with violin. 1917. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | 10 Roxborough Drive, Toronto. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Gerald Bradley and Marie-Antoinette Snow. 1942. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
CHAPTER THREE: Jazz Band |
. | Picasso article. October 13, 1947. LIFE magazine. |
. | Michael Snow. Jazz Band. 1947. Photo dyes on paper collage on board. 101.6 x 76.2 cm. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael Snow. Blue Panel (Wall Panel V). 1952. Oil on plywood. 38.6 x 28.9 cm. Michael Snow. |
. | Georgine Ferguson. 1953. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Private Collection. Georgine. 1954. Gouache and graphite on card. 33 x 46.5 cm. Private Collection. |
CHAPTER FOUR: A Man Drawing Lines |
. | Ken Deans jazz band in concert at a high school in Toronto, probably 1948. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Bob Hackborn and Michael Snow at a costume night in the bar of the Hotel Grand Coeur, Mribel Les Allues. February 1954. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael Snow. Colin Curd About to Play. 1953. Oil on canvas. 148.6 x 79.4 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. |
. | Michael Snow. A Man with a Line. 1953. Oil on canvas. 40 x 45.7 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. |
CHAPTER FIVE: Intimations |
. | Michael Snow and Av Isaacs. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Dennis Burton. Egypt Asleep. 1966. Oil on canvas. 152.4 x 44.2 cm. Art Gallery of Hamilton. |
. | Graham Coughtry. Two Figures XI. 1963. Oil and Lucite on canvas. 182.9 x 152.4 cm. Art Gallery of Hamilton. |
. | Michael Snow. Still from A to Z. 1956. 16 mm colour film. Michael Snow. |
CHAPTER SIX: Gestures |
. | Michael Snow and Joyce Wieland. 1965. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael Snow. Secret Shout. 1960. Oil, charcoal on canvas. 132 x 190 cm. Charles Baillie Collection. |
. | Michael Snow. The Drum Book. 1960. Oil, enamel on canvas. 182.67 x 152.6 cm. Bette and Ian Reich Collection, Toronto. |
. | Isaacs Gallery, 1960. (Left) Blues in Place (1959); (middle) Self-Centered (1960); (right) Bracket I (1960) and Goodbye (1959) is also visible, on the other wall. Photograph. Michael Snow. |
. | Michael Snow. Lac Clair. 1960. Oil, paper, adhesive tape on canvas. 177.8 x 177.8 x 3 cm. National Gallery of Canada. |
. | Michael Snow. Green in Green. 1960. Oil, Lucite on canvas. 202 x 131 cm. Morden Yolles Collection, Toronto. |
CHAPTER SEVEN: Drawn Out |
. | Michael Snow. Metamorphosis Chair. 1955. Bronze lacquer on polyester resin and metal, on oil-painted canvas-covered base. 46 x 36 x 29 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. |
. | Michael Snow. Colour Booth. 1959. Oil and timber and plywood. 203 x 44 x 49.3 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. |
. | Michael Snow. Seated Nude (Red Head). 1955. Oil on canvas. 126 x 80 cm. Art Gallery of Hamilton. |
. | Michael Snow. Seated Nude. 1955. Photo dyes on paper collage on board. 101.4 x 75.9 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario. |
. | Marie-Antoinette and Michael Snow at opening of exhibition at the Isaacs Gallery. Photograph. Michael Snow. |