Quick Facts
Biography
Catherine Richards (born 1950) is a Canadian new media artist. Richards is known for her work with virtual reality technologies.She created the first VR system in Canada, which was incorporated in her 1991 artwork Spectral Bodies.
Richards is Professor of Media Arts at the University of Ottawa.
Early life and education
Richards was born in 1950 in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. She received a bachelor's degree in English literature from York University in 1971, and a bachelor's degree in visual arts from the University of Ottawa in 1980.
Work
Catherine Richards' work explores the spectator and information technology relationship as the "jam in the electro-magnetic sandwich." She deals with both old and new types of technology.
Selected exhibitions
2004 Biennale of Sydney
Published and video artworks
Spectral Bodies(1991) video artwork utilizes the juxtaposition of short narratives to reveal how the self can be lost if the body is lost.
Body in Ruins(1986) published in Body invaders: panic sex in America is a photo piece, composed of video stills and text, which explores the uncertainty of the body in virtual reality.
Awards and fellowships
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | AIRes at NRC Institute for Information Technology |
| 1994-1995 | Claudia De Hueck Fellowship in Art and Science |
| 1993-1994 | Canadian Centre for the Visual Arts Fellowship at the National Gallery of Canada |
| 1993 | Petro-Canada Award in Media Arts |
| 1992 | Corel Prize from the Canadian Conference of the Arts |