George Steeves (b. ca. 1945) is a Canadian artphotographer noted for his highly personal work. He has been called by art historian and curator Martha Langford, "among the foremost figures of contemporary Canadian photography."[1]
Born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Steeves attended school in Ottawa and studied engineering at Carleton University and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. He has lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 1973 and worked as an engineer with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, where he was supervisor of mechanical and oceanographic systems development before retiring in 2006. In the 1970s, he began making urban landscape photographs using an 8x10 negative camera and developing and printing his own work. In 1981, inspired by local performance artist Ellen Pierce, he decided to focus on figurative work. Apparently needing to know his subjects very well before photographing them, he often spends more time talking than actually taking pictures. He has forged deep friendships with some of his subjects, whom he has continued to photograph on numerous occasions.[2] With this approach, and the trust he engenders in his subjects, he has achieved a deeply personal, intimate body of work.
Probably because of the often erotic nature of his pictures, he has worked largely in obscurity within his own community. A 1989 exhibit at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was publicly opposed and posters were removed. After the show ended, his works were damaged when they were removed from the walls.[3] A 1993 exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography in Ottawa was more successful. His work has also been shown at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark and the Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts in Montreal. A thirty-year retrospective exhibition was mounted at Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery in 2007 and in 2011 he curated and wrote the catalogue essay for the exhibition, Lisette Model: A Performance in Photography which ran from October 8 through November 20, 2011 at MSVU Art Gallery. His works are included in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada and Mount Saint Vincent University. He currently lives and works in Halifax with his wife, Ingrid Jenkner.
Notes
^Martha Langford, Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, "George Steeves: 1979–1993" Exhibition Catalogue (1994)
^S. C. Flynn, The Coast, February 22, 2007, "Elementary: Self-taught photographer George Steeves has been taking provocative shots—of artists, of lovers, of himself—for more than three decades", p. 15
Sue Carter Flynn, The Coast, "Elementary: Self-taught photographer George Steeves has been taking provocative shots—of artists, of lovers, of himself—for more than three decades", February 22, 2007[permanent dead link]
Mount St. Vincent Exhibition (includes examples)
Two images - Shakespeare in Canadian Art
Further reading
Langford, Martha. Atlantic Parallels. Exhibition Catalogue. Ottawa: National Film Board of Canada, Still Photography Division, 1980.
Livingstone, David, "Water, water everywhere but here (Canadian Centre of Photography, Toronto)," Maclean's (Dec. 15, 1980): 59.
Dunbrack, Janet. "Moving Forward: the Photography of George Steeves." Arts Atlantic 20 (Vol. 5, No. 4, 1984): 42-45.
National Film Board of Canada, Still Photography Division. Contemporary Canadian Photography from the Collection of the National Film Board. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1984.
Steeves, George. Artist's statement. In exhibition catalogue for Edges. Halifax: Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, 1987.
Brunner, Astrid, "George Steeves: edges," Arts Atlantic (Spring-Summer 1989): 26-27.
Garvey, Susan Gibson. "George Steeves." In exhibition catalogue for The Tenth Dalhousie Drawing Exhibition. Halifax: Dalhousie University, 1990.
Langford, Martha, "The Autobiography of George Steeves." In exhibition catalogue for Le Mois de la photo a Montreal: Vox Populi, 1991, pp. 78–83.
Gersovitz, S.V., "George Steeves," Arts Atlantic (Winter 1992): 22,25.
Nancy Baele, "Pain as a path to understanding," The Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 20, 1993, p. B10.
Dessureault, Pierre. "George Steeves: The art of the overstatement." In exhibition catalogue for EXILE: a Journey with Astrid Brunner. Fredericton: Gallery Connexion, 1993.
Bentley, "George Steeves: exile: a journey with Astrid Brunner," Arts Atlantic (Fall 1993) 29-33.
Langford, Martha, George Steeves, 1979–1993, 1994, Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography/The University of Chicago Press. ISBN0-88884-566-9
Morose, Edward, "George Steeves: Ensemble-separe," Arts Atlantic (Fall-Winter 1997): 8-9.
Dorota Kozinska "Fruits of a profound inner dialogue" The Gazette, Montreal, Feb. 14, 1998, p. J6.
Epp, Colin Brent, "Recovering Portraiture," Blackflash, (Spring 1998): 15.
Silver Donald Cameron, "Dark themes, poetry in light," The Halifax Herald (19 Nov. 2000): C3.
Steeves, George, "Lisette Model: A Performance in Photography" .
Penny Cousineau-LevineFaking Death: Canadian Art Photography and the Canadian Imagination (2003), McGill-Queen's University Press.
George Steeves, Exposures - photographs with poems by Liane Heller and introduction by Astrid Brunner, (2003) Lakeville Corner NB: AB Collector Publishing.
George Steeves Photographs - essay by Peter Schwenger; introduction by Ingrid Jenkner, (2007) Halifax, N.S. : MSVU Art Gallery. ISBN1-894518-37-3
Holt, Jason, "The Photographic Excavations of George Steeves", Visual Arts News (Vol. 29, No. 2 (Summer 2007): 25-28.
Moynihan, Conor and Jonathan D. Katz, "Drama Queer", in Drama Queer (Vancouver, BC: Pride in Art Society, 2017): 9-10; 64-71.
Films
Portrait of the Artist as His Muse (2003 film)
Race is a Four Letter Word (stills credit)
External links
February 12, 2023
george, steeves, 1945, canadian, photographer, noted, highly, personal, work, been, called, historian, curator, martha, langford, among, foremost, figures, contemporary, canadian, photography, born1945, moncton, brunswick, canadaeducationcarleton, university, . George Steeves b ca 1945 is a Canadian art photographer noted for his highly personal work He has been called by art historian and curator Martha Langford among the foremost figures of contemporary Canadian photography 1 George SteevesBorn1945 age 77 78 Moncton New Brunswick CanadaEducationCarleton University Cornell UniversityOccupationart photographerYears active1970s present Contents 1 Life 2 Notes 3 References 4 Further reading 5 Films 6 External linksLife EditBorn in Moncton New Brunswick Steeves attended school in Ottawa and studied engineering at Carleton University and Cornell University Ithaca New York He has lived in Halifax Nova Scotia since 1973 and worked as an engineer with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography where he was supervisor of mechanical and oceanographic systems development before retiring in 2006 In the 1970s he began making urban landscape photographs using an 8x10 negative camera and developing and printing his own work In 1981 inspired by local performance artist Ellen Pierce he decided to focus on figurative work Apparently needing to know his subjects very well before photographing them he often spends more time talking than actually taking pictures He has forged deep friendships with some of his subjects whom he has continued to photograph on numerous occasions 2 With this approach and the trust he engenders in his subjects he has achieved a deeply personal intimate body of work Probably because of the often erotic nature of his pictures he has worked largely in obscurity within his own community A 1989 exhibit at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was publicly opposed and posters were removed After the show ended his works were damaged when they were removed from the walls 3 A 1993 exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography in Ottawa was more successful His work has also been shown at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark and the Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts in Montreal A thirty year retrospective exhibition was mounted at Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery in 2007 and in 2011 he curated and wrote the catalogue essay for the exhibition Lisette Model A Performance in Photography which ran from October 8 through November 20 2011 at MSVU Art Gallery His works are included in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada and Mount Saint Vincent University He currently lives and works in Halifax with his wife Ingrid Jenkner Notes Edit Martha Langford Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography George Steeves 1979 1993 Exhibition Catalogue 1994 S C Flynn The Coast February 22 2007 Elementary Self taught photographer George Steeves has been taking provocative shots of artists of lovers of himself for more than three decades p 15 S C Flynn p 17References EditSue Carter Flynn The Coast Elementary Self taught photographer George Steeves has been taking provocative shots of artists of lovers of himself for more than three decades February 22 2007 permanent dead link Mount St Vincent Exhibition includes examples Two images Shakespeare in Canadian Art Bedford InstituteFurther reading EditLangford Martha Atlantic Parallels Exhibition Catalogue Ottawa National Film Board of Canada Still Photography Division 1980 Livingstone David Water water everywhere but here Canadian Centre of Photography Toronto Maclean s Dec 15 1980 59 Dunbrack Janet Moving Forward the Photography of George Steeves Arts Atlantic 20 Vol 5 No 4 1984 42 45 National Film Board of Canada Still Photography Division Contemporary Canadian Photography from the Collection of the National Film Board Edmonton Hurtig Publishers 1984 Steeves George Artist s statement In exhibition catalogue for Edges Halifax Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery 1987 Langford Martha On George Steeves Edges Blackflash vol 6 No 4 1988 5 8 Brunner Astrid George Steeves edges Arts Atlantic Spring Summer 1989 26 27 Garvey Susan Gibson George Steeves In exhibition catalogue for The Tenth Dalhousie Drawing Exhibition Halifax Dalhousie University 1990 Langford Martha The Autobiography of George Steeves In exhibition catalogue for Le Mois de la photo a Montreal Vox Populi 1991 pp 78 83 Gersovitz S V George Steeves Arts Atlantic Winter 1992 22 25 Nancy Baele Pain as a path to understanding The Ottawa Citizen Sept 20 1993 p B10 Dessureault Pierre George Steeves The art of the overstatement In exhibition catalogue for EXILE a Journey with Astrid Brunner Fredericton Gallery Connexion 1993 Bentley George Steeves exile a journey with Astrid Brunner Arts Atlantic Fall 1993 29 33 Langford Martha George Steeves 1979 1993 1994 Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography The University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 88884 566 9 Morose Edward George Steeves Ensemble separe Arts Atlantic Fall Winter 1997 8 9 Dorota Kozinska Fruits of a profound inner dialogue The Gazette Montreal Feb 14 1998 p J6 Stephane Aquin George Steeves Journel d un Impudique Voir Montreal Vol 12 No 8 26 Fev 1998 48 Epp Colin Brent Recovering Portraiture Blackflash Spring 1998 15 Silver Donald Cameron Dark themes poetry in light The Halifax Herald 19 Nov 2000 C3 Steeves George Lisette Model A Performance in Photography ABC Art Books Canada Penny Cousineau Levine Faking Death Canadian Art Photography and the Canadian Imagination 2003 McGill Queen s University Press George Steeves Exposures photographs with poems by Liane Heller and introduction by Astrid Brunner 2003 Lakeville Corner NB AB Collector Publishing George Steeves Photographs essay by Peter Schwenger introduction by Ingrid Jenkner 2007 Halifax N S MSVU Art Gallery ISBN 1 894518 37 3 https web archive org web 20070403194355 http www abcartbookscanada com one html Carter Flinn Sue George Steeves Elementary The Coast 22 February 1 March 2007 Cover and 14 17 http www thecoast ca permalink lasso ei 7C150316 113118 7CElementary Lisk Dean Steeves s Naked Truth HFX The Daily News 1 March 2007 14 Barnard Elissa Melodrama without a script The Chronicle Herald Halifax 3 March 2007 C14 Carter Flinn Sue Akimblog Halifax Akimbo biz 4 April 2007 http www akimbo biz akimblog index php id 102 scroll to bottom Langford Martha George Steeves Border Crossings Vol 26 No 2 Issue 102 2007 108 110 Holt Jason The Photographic Excavations of George Steeves Visual Arts News Vol 29 No 2 Summer 2007 25 28 Moynihan Conor and Jonathan D Katz Drama Queer in Drama Queer Vancouver BC Pride in Art Society 2017 9 10 64 71 Films EditPortrait of the Artist as His Muse 2003 film Race is a Four Letter Word stills credit External links EditExposure Online Magazine George Steeves Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Steeves amp oldid 1121095410, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
