Quick Facts
Biography
Arnaud Maggs (1926 – November 17, 2012) was a Canadian artist and photographer. Born in Montreal, Maggs is best known for stark portraits arranged in grid-like arrangements.
After training and working as a graphic designer, Maggs turned to commercial photography in the 1960s. At the age of 47, he decided to become a visual artist concentrating on photography and conceptualism and focusing on such things as death notices and tags documenting child labour in French textile factories.
A documentary film about Maggs and his partner of 25 years, Spring Hurlbut, titled "Spring and Arnaud", premiered at 2013 Hot Docs Film Festival.
Works
Characteristic of Maggs' early work are his black-and-white portraits taken from the front, side and back, and presented in grid formation exemplified in the internationally acclaimed portraits of Joseph Beuys, Joseph Beuys: 100 Frontal Views, Düsseldorf, 21.10.80 and Joseph Beuys: 100 Profile Views, Düsseldorf, 21.10.80. Created in Beuys' Düsseldorf home in 1980, the images appear to be identical, but are 200 different photographs of Beuys attempting to sit completely still. In 2006, Maggs was awarded the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts. In 2012 Maggs was awarded the Scotiabank Photography Award.
A postage stamp depicting Magg's photograph of Yousuf Karsh was issued on March 22, 2013 by Canada Post as part of their Canadian Photography series.