Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1965–1987 (Creation)
Level of description
Series
Extent and medium
48 cm of textual records and graphic material
215 photographs: slides
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Michael Bidner (1944-1989) was an Ontario artist who worked in print and mixed media, perhaps best known for his works in xerography and mail art. Born in London, Ontario, Bidner graduated from the technical high school H.B. Beal Secondary and briefly attended the Ontario College of Art before dropping out to pursue his art independently. During his career, Bidner worked with various media, including silkscreening, collage, slides, photography, and video. Bidner used the name “Cloud” in some of his projects and often incorporated the shape of an upside down “Y” as a signature symbol. In the 1970s, Bidner produced or co-created a number of alternative art-based publications: Adz magazine (founder), Rag magazine (co-founder), and Rude magazine (co-founder/art director). In the mid-1970s, Xerox Canada Ltd. provided the McIntosh Gallery at the University of Western Ontario with one of their new colour copier machines to help promote its use. In the spring of 1976, Michael Bidner and artist Michael Hayden exhibited their copy art and led a number of public workshops. Later that year, Bidner and Hayden were part of the “Colour Xerography” group show at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which also included the work of
Jaan Poldaas, Flavio Belli, Barbara Astman, and Robert Arn.
Bidner was also interested in philately and mail art, coining the term “artistamp” to refer to his postage art. In 1984, he organized the first international exhibition of mail art, titled “Artistampex,” in London, Ontario. Networking and letter-writing with mail artists in Canada and abroad, Bidner began compiling a groundbreaking database of artists and artwork entitled “Standard Artistamp Catalogue and Handbook.” Unfortunately, his declining health prevented him from finishing the project. Following unsuccessful attempts to place his collection at a Canadian art institution, Bidner’s personal collection of original postage art was given to the Artpool Art Research Center in Budapest, Hungary in 1989. Michael Bidner
passed away of AIDS in 1989.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Series comprises of a set of five binders containing various textual records and graphic material compiled by Michael Bidner. Materials consist of black and white photocopies, collage prints, correspondence, photographs, slides, negatives and transparencies. Bidner organized and structured the binder contents using divider pages with brief paragraphs of text documenting each section. Sections are arranged chronologically and a date is given on the descriptive text. The fifth binder contains only slides and lacks any descriptive notations. Materials relate to high school plays, Bidner’s art catalogues, sales of his work, exhibition invitations, reviews and publicity, awards and grants, studio spaces, and art pieces. Subjects of photographs and slides include the artist, studio space, art pieces, and scenes of art-making or in-progress works.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further accruals expected.
System of arrangement
The original boxes of loose files contained empty folders which were removed by the processing archivist, they were labelled: [Walter] Grasser, Aberfoyle, Artario, and billboard study.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open. Access to Special Collections is by appointment only. Please contact the reference desk for more information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is held by the Estate of Michael Bidner. Copyright belonging to other parties, such as that of photographs, may still rest with the creator of these items. It is the researcher’s responsibility to obtain permission to publish any part of the fonds.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Discrete groups of photographs have been counted, as noted below; isolated photographs (prints, slides, transparencies etc.) can be found throughout the files and have been loosely quantified in the measurement of “textual records and graphic material.”
Note
See the Curriculum Vitae file in the Subject files series for a detailed listing of Bidner’s professional work.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Originally prepared in 2015
Language(s)
- English