Ella Spitzer-Stephan

  1. Opera Aperta: A Marginal Archive
  2. On Fogo
  3. CC: Myself by Myself Publishers
  4. WeltDämmerung
  5. A Wasteland of ones own

About

Based in Toronto, Ella Spitzer-Stephan utilizes Auto-theoretical tools to examine how our human identity has transformed through theoretical understandings of what makes a subject, vs. an object. Their work lies between a written and studio-based practice; they see these two acts as indiscernible, their writing deeply influencing their visual practice, as well as often having text incorporated in their drawing, painting and video works. Ella is keenly aware of how abstraction has historically been used as a tool to visualize speculative worlds typically confined by representational art, conveying a sense of alienation only born from witnessing a visual language one cannot immediately understand. They work within a bricolage of mediums, from video, drawing, painting, installation, and publication-based practices.

CV

EXPERIENCE

Curatorial Intern/ OISE Encore Lab/ University of Toronto, Current.

Research/Artist Assistant – Melissa Shiff / York University, Current.

Research Assistant/ Public Intervention Project – City of Markham, 2024.

Gallery Assistant/ Susan Hobbs Inc. 2023.

Gallery Docent/ Ruovttu Guvlui – Towards Home/ Canadian Centre for Architecture. 2023-2024.

Multi-Media Lab Assistant/ Daniels Faculty – University of Toronto, 2022 -2024.

EXHIBITIONS

EYEBALL Larry Wayne Richards Gallery, Toronto. 2024.

UofT Daniels Faculty of Architecture End of Year Show 2023/2024, Toronto. 2024.

Still There are Seeds to be Gathered, Space on King, Toronto. 2024.

Sediments Exhibition of Visual Studies work from course, Summer Studio Abroad: Fogo Island, Toronto. 2023

Curiosity Daniels Art Directive Formal Exhibition, Daniels Student Commons. 2023.

EYEBALL Larry Wayne Richards Gallery, Toronto. 2022.

Innards Beuty Artscape Younge Place, Toronto. 2020.

Unity Art Show Student Run Exhibition, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts. 2019.

PUBLICATIONS

Weltdämmerung In collaboration with Auden Tura, Center of Liberatory Practice and Poetry https://liberatorypractice.org/RESOURCE-LIBRARY. 2024.

Still there are Seeds to be Gathered: A Publication. Exhibition catalogue in collaboration with Olive Wei, Satyam Mistry, Nusha Naziri, and Auden Tura. https://academic.daniels.utoronto.ca/visual-studies-thesis-2024/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/04/StillThereAreSeedsToBeGathered-Publication.pdf. 2024.

Opera Aperta: A Marginal Archive https://academic.daniels.utoronto.ca/visual-studies-thesis-2024/student_page/ella-spitzer-stephan/. 2024.

Frame Work 4/24 On Plural Susan Hobbs Gallery Inc. http://susanhobbs.com/news_and_events. 2024.

The Strand Magazine Disaster Edition https://disaster.thestrand.ca/all-into-one/. 2023.

RESIDENCIES

Artscape Gilbraltar Point Independent Artist Residency, Toronto Islands. 2021.

EDUCATION

University of Toronto- Honours Bachelor of Arts, Visual Studies: Critical Practices Specialist.