About Mowry Baden

Portrait_Baden_01.jpg

Born in Los Angeles in 1936 and educated at Pomona College and Stanford University, Mowry Baden has lived and worked in Canada since 1971. He has practiced sculpture for nearly 50 years and has taught sculpture at Raymond College, Pomona College, UBC, and the University of Victoria, from which he retired in 1997.

Articulating an internal awareness of movement has always been the most important element in his work. Over the past 43 years, he has developed various methods of decentering vision and interfering with habitual human gestures. He has built harnesses, furniture, rooms, pathways and catwalks, all with the goal of impinging upon the viewer’s movements and awakening a physical self-awareness that was previously unconscious.

Baden tries to provoke a perceptual crisis that assaults the viewer’s confidence in the information that comes through the senses. His practice has always involved materials, just like any artist who makes objects. Ideally, however, he is less interested in the object than in the experience. He wants the viewer to enter the object (or the space) and have an experience that is visceral, internal, and sensorially cross-circuited.

Curriculum Vitae

PERSONAL INFORMATION 

  • Born: 1936, Los Angeles, CA

EDUCATION 

  • B.A. Pomona College, 1958

  • M.A. Stanford University, 1965

TEACHING POSITIONS 

  • 1959-60 Teacher, Primary level, Stow, Massachusetts

  • 1960-62 Instructor, college & adult, Worcester Art Museum

  • 1963-64 Instructor, Chouinard Art Institute

  • 1964-65 Teaching Assistant, Stanford University

  • 1965-67 Assistant Professor, Raymond College, University of the Pacific

  • 1968-69 Assistant Professor & Acting Chair, Pomona College, Department of Art

  • 1972-75 Visiting Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia

  • 1975-76 Visiting Associate Professor, University of Victoria

  • 1976-86 Assistant Professor, University of Victoria

  • 1986-1997 Professor (Chair 1991-93), University of Victoria

  • 1997- Professor Emeritus, University of Victoria

 AWARDS/FELLOWSHIPS

  • 1958-59 Honnold Fellowship

  • 1962-63 Fullbright Fellowship India

  • 1996 Victor Martin Lynch Staunton Award (Canada Council)

  • 2006 Governor General’s Award for Visual and Media Arts

  • 2014 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship

 

GRANTS 

  • 1964-65 Mortimer C. Leventritt and University Scholarship, Stanford University

  • 1975-76 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1977-78 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1977-78 National Endowment of the Arts

  • 1978-79 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1979-80 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1980-81 National Endowment of the Arts Grant

  • 1980-81 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1981-82 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1981-82 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1984-85 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1984-85 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1984-85 National Endowment of the Arts Grant

  • 1985-86 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1986 Co-holder of National Endowment for the Arts “Design Arts” Grant (with Vito Acconci), administered by the Washington Project for the Arts, Washington DC

  • 1986-87 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1987-88 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1988-89 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1988-89 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1989-90 Canada Council “A” Grant

  • 1990 National Endowment for the Arts Grant

  • 1991 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1992 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1993 University of Victoria Research Grant

  • 1995 Canada Council Project Cost Grant

  • 1995-96 Canada Council “A” Grant

  • 1997-98 Canada Council “A” Grant

  • 2004-05 Canada Council “A” Grant

  • 2008-09 Canada Council Production Grant

  • 2012-13 BC Arts Council Project Assistance for Visual Artists

  • 2012-13 Canada Council Production Grant

  • 2013-14 BC Arts Council Project Assistance for Visual Artists

EXHIBITIONS 

  • 1957 Solo exhibition. Galeria Excelsior, Mexico City, Mexico

  • 1958 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Exodus Gallery, San Pedro CA

  • 1959 Solo exhibition. Galleria Pogliani, Rome, Italy

  • 1960 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. New Talent. Museum of Modern Art, New York NY

  • 1961 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Recent Acquisitions. Museum of Modern Art, New York NY

  • 1961 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Worcester Art Museum, Worcester MA

  • 1962 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Vanderbilt University, (Catalogue)

  • 1962 Solo exhibition. Cober Gallery. New York NY

  • 1963 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Pomona College, Claremont CA

  • 1963 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico (Catalogue)

  • 1964 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Swarthmore College. (Catalogue)

  • 1964 Works exhibited. Travelling exhibition. Sponsored by the American Federation of Art, USA and Canada (Catalogue)

  • 1964 Solo exhibition. Cober Gallery, New York NY

  • 1965 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Stanford Museum, Stanford CA

  • 1965 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Richmond Art Centre, Richmond CA

  • 1965 Solo exhibition. Hansen Gallery, San Francisco CA1967Works exhibited.

  • 1965 Group exhibition. University of California, Berkeley CA;

  • 1965 ICA, Boston MA

  • 1968 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco CA

  • 1968 Solo exhibition. Hansen Gallery, San Francisco CA

  • 1969 Solo exhibition. Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles CA

  • 1971 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, Jolla CA

  • 1971 Solo exhibition. California State College at Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

  • 1972Solo exhibition. Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1974Solo exhibition. University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC

  • 1975 Solo exhibition. University of Victoria, Victoria BC

  • 1975 Solo exhibition. Otis Arts Institute, Los Angeles CA

  • 1976 Solo exhibition. Pender Street Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1976 Solo exhibition. San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco CA

  • 1976 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC

  • 1977 Works exhibited. Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1977-79 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Australian Traveling Show

  • 1977 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Art Stories. Libra Gallery, Claremont CA

  • 1978 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Artwords and Bookworks.

  • 1978 Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles CA

  • 1978 Solo exhibition. 80 Langton Street Gallery, San Francisco CA

  • 1979 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Wild Celery for Stephen Davis (destroyed). University of California at Irvine, Irvine CA

  • 1980 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Pluralities, National Gallery, Ottawa ON (Catalogue)

  • 1981 Commissioned site-related sculpture. UCSB. University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

  • 1982 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Mise en Scene, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC (Catalogue)

  • 1982 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Drawings by Contemporary Sculptors, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey BC

  • 1982 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Lewiston. Artpark, Lewiston NY (with Michael Brewster)

  • 1983 Solo exhibition. Artists’ Space, New York NY (sponsored by the Mark Rothko Foundation)

  • 1983 Solo exhibition. OR Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1983 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Social Space, Walter Phillips Gallery,
    Banff Centre, Banff AB (Catalogue)

  • 1985 Solo exhibition. Mowry Baden: Maquettes and Other Preparatory Work, 1967-85.
    Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC (Catalogue)

  • 1986 Solo exhibition. Washington Project for the Arts, Washington DC

  • 1986 Works exhibited. Group exhibition: Making History, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1986 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Art in Victoria, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC

  • 1987 Commissioned sculpture. Silage Beach. Exploratorium, San Francisco CA

  • 1987 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Mechanics of Contemplation.
    Henry Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle WA

  • 1987 Solo exhibition. Mowry Baden, Task Oriented Sculptures, Mercer Union, Toronto ON (Catalogue)

  • 1988 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Allegheny Corn Slice. Three Rivers Festival, Pittsburgh PA (Catalogue)

  • 1988 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Watterson Grunewald Art Gallery, Toronto ON

  • 1988 Solo exhibition. Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1988 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Analogous Structures. MacDonald Stewart Art Gallery, Guelph ON (Catalogue)

  • 1988 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Paw Paw Bends. Washington Project for the Arts, Washington DC

  • 1989 Solo exhibition. Mowry Baden, Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary AB (Catalogue)

  • 1990 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey BC

  • 1991 Solo exhibition. San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego CA

  • 1991 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Un-natural Traces. Barbican Gallery, London, England

  • 1991 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. National Museum of American Art, Washington DC

  • 1991 Works exhibited. Group exhibition: Motion and Document: Sequence and Time. Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA;

  • 1991 Phillips Academy, Andover, MA; Henry Gallery, Seattle, WA

  • 1991 International Centre for Photography, New York, NY

  • 1991 Presentation House, Vancouver, BC

  • 1991 Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA (Catalogue)

  • 1992 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Toy Amenity. Justin Herman Plaza.
    Sponsored by the Capp Street Project, San Francisco CA

  • 1993 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Henry Gallery, Seattle WA

  • 1992 Solo exhibition. Galerie Christiane Chassay. Montreal PQ

  • 1992 Commissioned site-related sculpture, with Colin Baden. Wall of Death.
    Seattle Arts Commission, Seattle WA

  • 1992 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Artropolis, Vancouver BC

  • 1994 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Bumper Crop, Victoria BC

  • 1995 Solo exhibition. Galerie Christiane Chassay, Montreal PQ

  • 1995 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Claremont Graduate School, Claremont CA

  • 1996 Works exhibited. Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1997 Works exhibited. Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • 1997 Commissioned site-related sculpture, with Colin Baden. Night is for Sleeping, Day is for Resting. City of Victoria, Victoria BC

  • 1998 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Out of Actions, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles CA

  • 1998 Österreiches Museum für angewandt kunst (MAK), Vienna, Austria

  • 1998 Museo d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Barcelona, Spain

  • 1998 Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan (MOT) (Catalogue)

  • 1998 Solo exhibition. Choreography of the Ordinary. Open Space. Victoria BC (Catalogue)

  • 1998 Solo exhibition. Fickle Periptery. Art Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles CA

  • 1999 Solo exhibition. Galerie Christiane Chassay, Montreal PQ

  • 1999 Solo exhibition. Post Gallery, Los Angeles CA

  • 2000 Solo exhibition. Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto, Mississauga ON

  • 2000 Solo exhibition. Freckled Gyres. Pomona College Art Museum, Pomona College, Claremont CA (Catalogue)

  • 2001 Solo exhibition. Post Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 2001 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Godzilla vs. Skateboarders: Skateboarding as a Critique of Social Spaces. Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina Art Gallery, Regina, SK

  • 2001 Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto at Mississauga

  • 2001 Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB

  • 2001 Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK

  • 2001 Dalhousie Art Gallery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

  • 2001 Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, MN

  • 2001 Art Gallery and Museum, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, PEI (Catalogue)

  • 2002 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Walk Ways. Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR

  • 2002 Western Gallery, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

  • 2002 Dalhousie Art Gallery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

  • 2002 Oakville Galleries, Oakville ON

  • 2002 Freedman Gallery, Albright College Center for the Arts, Reading, PA (Catalogue)

  • 2002 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Glyptomania. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC

  • 2002 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Fulcrum of Vision. The PCI Group, Vancouver BC

  • 2004 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Moved. Times Square Gallery, Hunter College, NY, NY (Catalogue)

  • 2004 Commissioned site-related sculpture. Pavilion, Rock, and Shell. City of Victoria, Save-on-Foods Arena, Victoria, BC

  • 2005 Works exhibited. Group exhibition: Radioville/From Wild Celery to
    The Fulcrum of Vision: Public Art by Roland Brener and Mowry Baden    . Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC

  • 2005 Works exhibited, Group exhibition: Landmarks, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, OR

  • 2006 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Governor General Laureates. National Gallery, Ottawa, ON

  • 2006 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Mowry Baden and Roland Brener: 30 Years of Sculpture in Victoria. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC (Catalogue)

  • 2006 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Mowry Baden, Three Sculptures with
    Jessica Stockholder, Monoprints    . Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON

  • 2007 Solo exhibition. Day by Day, Drawings from the Journals of Mowry Baden, 1959-2007. Deluge Contemporary Art, Victoria, BC

  • 2008 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Bureau de Change, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff Centre, Banff AB

  • 2008 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. BIG Gift, Glenbow Art Museum, Calgary AB

  • 2008 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Caught in the Act, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON (Catalogue)

  • 2009 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Assume Nothing: New Social Practice. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, BC

  • 2010 Solo Exhibition. Mirroring. Diaz Contemporary. Toronto, ON

  • 2010 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Home Bodies. San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA

  • 2010 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Artpark, 1974-1984. University of Buffalo Art Gallery. Buffalo, NY

  • 2011 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Deja. Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, PQ

  • 2012 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. It Happened at Pomona: Art at the Edge of Los Angeles 1969–1973. Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont CA (in association with Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art, 1945–1980) (Catalogue)

  • 2013 Solo exhibition. Califanida. Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON

  • 2013 Solo exhibition. Dromedary Mezzanine. Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont CA

  • 2015 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. The Flesh of the World. University of Toronto, Toronto ON

  • 2016 Solo exhibition. Toroidal Yodel. Deluge Contemporary, Victoria BC

  • 2017 Works exhibited. Group exhibition. Psychopomp. Laband Gallery. Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles CA

COLLECTIONS

  • Oakland Art Museum, Oakland CA

  • University of California, Berkeley CA

  • San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego CA

  • Hal Glicksman, Los Angeles CA

  • Willard Holmes, Houston TX

  • University of California, Santa Barbara CA (Commission)

  • Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC

  • Stephen Davis, Galisteo, NM

  • Art Bank, Canada Council, Ottawa ON

  • Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, DC (Commission) Not extant.

  • Exploratorium, San Francisco CA

  • Addison Gallery, Andover MA

  • American Psychological Association, Washington DC

  • Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC

  • Camosun College, Victoria BC

  • City of Seattle, Seattle WA (Commission)

  • Science Center, Lubbock TX

  • City of Victoria, Victoria BC (Commission)

  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles CA

  • Pomona College Art Museum, Pomona College, Claremont CA

  • Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna BC

  • University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge AB

  • The PCI Group, Vancouver BC

  • Glenbow Art Museum, Calgary AB

  • National Gallery of Canada

  • Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, PQ

  • Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, CA

  • Deluge Gallery, Victoria, BC

  • Tofino Botanical Garden, Tofino BC

  • Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan 

  • Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto ON