Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1963-2008 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.2 m of textual records and graphic material
42 pages of drawings : pencil on paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Michael James Aleck Snow (1928-2023) was a Canadian painter, sculptor, filmmaker, photographer and musician. He was born in Toronto and educated at Upper Canada College and subsequently at the Ontario College of Art (1948-1952). After travels in Europe (1953-54) he worked for Graphic Films in Toronto (1955-56), producing his first independent film, A-Z. His first solo exhibition as a painter was at the Greenwich Gallery in Toronto in 1956. Between 1961 and 1967, mostly while living in New York, Snow produced work in the Pop-art mode based on the silhouette of a young woman, entitled Walking Woman, probably his most widely recognized creation. A series of 11 stainless steel sculptures of the image was created for the Ontario pavilion at Expo 67 and is now in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. After moving to New York in 1964, he made films regarded as Minimalist, such as New York Ear and Eye Control (1964) and Wavelength (1966-67). Returning to Toronto in 1972, Snow worked mainly on cinematic and photographic projects including ‘Rameau’s Nephew’ by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen. His work is concerned with the nature of media themselves, with perception and with the interrelation of language, sound and meaning. Snow has been the subject of exhibitions and retrospectives in Toronto, Vancouver and Paris.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Series contains preparatory notes and sketches for film shoots, script and dialogues, actor selection, scenes indication, budgets, film editing, sound editing, invoices, grant applications, insurance policy, promotional material, etc., for films including New York Eye and Ear Control, Wavelength, <----> (Back and Forth), La Région Centrale, Rameau's Nephew by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen, Plus Tard / Later, and Presents.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arrangement: Material received in 1996 is located from box 46 to 99. There are date overlaps between the 1992 and 1996 donations; researchers should check the entire listing for this series to locate material from a particular date.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Generated finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Associated material: Records relating to the European tour of Wavelength, script development of 2 Sides to Every Story, and showing of La Region Centrale in California may be found in Series 4.