Biography
Arnaud Maggs (–) had a decades-long career that brought him renown and success in the realms of both commercial and fine art. In his early years, he worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, which shaped his visual language and approach to artmaking. In the late s, Maggs pursued commercial photography, working in editorial fashion and portraiture, but barely a decade later he had become devoted to fine art. The grid format characterized the presentation of both his black and white portraits and his artworks featuring found paper ephemera.
Early Life
Arnaud Cyril Benvenuti Maggs was born in Montreal on May 5, , to Enid and Cyril Maggs. His first name came from his mother’s father, who had been a commanding officer in a Sikh regiment in British India, where Enid and her siblings spent the early part of their childhood. After their parents died, they were brought to Canada to live with their grandparents, who had retired to Windsor, Nova Scotia. Cyril Maggs was from Wallasey, England, but his mother was Italian and Benvenuti was her maiden name. “Her family claimed to be direct descendants of the Italian sculptor Benvenuto Cellini [–],” Maggs expla
Arnaud Maggs: Toronto&#;s Renowned Illustrator and Designer
Arnaud Maggs had a long career that brought him recognition and success in both commercial and fine arts. Early in his professional journey, he worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, shaping his visual language and approach to art creation. By the late s, Maggs transitioned to commercial photography, focusing on fashion and portraiture. It wasn’t until a decade later that he fully devoted himself to fine art. More details at
Family, Childhood, and Early Passions
Arnaud Cyril Benvenuti Maggs was born on May 5, , in Montreal to Enid and Cyril Maggs. His name originated from his maternal grandfather, a commander in the Sikh Regiment of British India, where Enid and her siblings spent part of their childhood. Following the death of their parents, they relocated to Canada to live with their grandparents. Cyril Maggs, originally from Wallasey, England, had Italian heritage through his mother, whose maiden name was Benvenuti. After serving in World War I, Cyril emigrated to Canada, where he met and married Enid.
During his childhood, Maggs developed an early appreciation for the formal qualities of everyday obje
Répertoire
Répertoire est une grille de quarante-huit épreuves à développement chromogène, documentant chacune une double page tirée d’un carnet d’adresses de près de cent pages ayant appartenu au photographe parisien Eugène Atget (). La documentation d’Arnaud Maggs débute avec la première de couverture et se conclut par la quatrième de couverture. Chaque épreuve de 50,8 centimètres sur 61 centimètres est cernée d’une fine bande blanche; lorsque l’ensemble est mis en place, ces cadres blancs étroitement juxtaposés font ressortir la structure de la grille. Maggs remet en cause le concept de portrait et propose une image d’Atget – un de ses héros – non pas sous la forme d’un portrait ressemblant, mais par la documentation du carnet manuscrit du photographe. Maggs explique : « Répertoire nous offre une trace révélatrice et intime de l’homme. »
Tout comme Maggs, Atget a débuté tardivement comme photographe; il s’agissait de sa deuxième carrière après quelques années comme acteur. Bien qu’il soit aujourd’hui considéré comme un artiste d’avant-garde, Atget était un photographe professionnel qui se voyait comme un documentariste. Il créait des images pour des a
In Memoriam: Arnaud Maggs
Article Details
Arnaud Maggs, one of Canada’s foremost artists, died on the weekend at age
The winner of numerous prestigious awards, including the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts, Maggs has had his photo-based art exhibited throughout the Canada and the world, most recently in May, at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
The Toronto artist is probably best known for his black-and-white portraits, which show his subjects from the shoulders up and with little to no facial expression. In most cases, the sitter was photographed dozens of times seated in the same position but turned a few degrees with each shutter click to reveal their profile from every angle. The effect was very much like a series of mug shots; and, as is the case with mug shots, their personalities still managed to reveal themselves even when the goal was to contain them.
Even straight-faced German conceptual artist Joseph Beuys, who sat for Maggs in , let his character be read through slouching shoulders and a down-turned lower lip.
A similarly rigorous systematic cataloguing was done with the objects Maggs documented and often displayed in large grid
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