About: Bio & CV
Marina Fridman is a Canadian visual artist creating immersive installations that explore our shifting perception of time and space, reality and mortality.
Immersed in traditional drawing and painting in the early years of her education, Fridman now works in a wide range of materials and techniques, moving fluidly between drawing, sculpture, installation, photography and video.
Fridman holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Sculpture and Dimensional Studies from Alfred University, and a BFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, an Edmonton Arts Council Grant in 2022, a Canada Council for the Arts Grant in 2020, the Manifest ONE Prize in 2019, and an Honorable Mention in the International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award in 2018.
Fridman has been awarded residencies at MacDowell, the I-Park Foundation, the Vermont Studio Center, the League Residency at Vyt, the Creative Practices Institute, the Manifest Gallery, the Boreal Electroacoustic Music Society (BEAMS) Residency in Estonia, and the invitational ArtBnB Jerusalem Residency.
Marina Fridman photographed by Saige Ashton Photography.
Marina Fridman photographed by Saige Ashton Photography
Marina’s work has been published by Hi-Fructose Magazine (online), Booooooom, Art in America, ACS Magazine, the Manifest International Drawing Annual, Foundations of Drawing (Random House), North Light Books' Art Journey, and Strokes of Genius, to name a few.
Her works have been exhibited and collected in the US, Canada, and the Middle East.
Aside from her creative practice, Marina is an educator of visual arts. Upon graduating with her MFA, she taught Drawing I & II, Sculpture I & II, Visual Fundamentals, and Portfolio Development as a Tenure-Track Instructor of Visual Arts at Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada.
She currently divides her time between her creative practice and The Drawing Source (TheDrawingSource.com) - a website she founded to provide accessible, quality online education in representational drawing.
Fridman’s current research revolves around fear, and the ways in which it can both divide and unite us. She is working on an installation meant to transform our collective fears into a common ground through which we can connect and relate to one another.
Marina’s Work has been featured in
CV
Education
2016 - 2018 Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture & Dimensional Studies, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2012 - 2014 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting & Drawing, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2009 - 2012 Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, Los Angeles, CA (Certificate program)
2007 - 2008 University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Art History and Liberal Arts courses)
Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions
2022 Vice Versa (Two-Person Exhibition with Nick Lenker), Headstone Gallery, Kingston, NY
2020 Omniscient Body, The Works Art & Design Festival, Edmonton, AB - Cancelled due to Covid-19
2019 Overview, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2018 Out of Body, Into Being (Two-Person MFA Thesis Exhibition), Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2016 Panta Rhei, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH (catalog)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 Artists in the Fallow (Part II), Brighton Block, Edmonton, AB
Drawing Discourse: 12th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing,
Juror: Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC (catalog)
2019 Interlopers: Works on Paper, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2018 Art BnB Jerusalem Grand Event, HaMiffal Cultural Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Faculty Exhibition, Glass Gallery, Grande Prairie Regional College, Grande Prairie, AB
2017 The Access Room (Curated by Sergio Gomez), 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, Il
Abstraction of the Ordinary, Arte Ponte Gallery, Chelsea, NYC
Within/Between, The Belfry, Hornell, NY
2016 Magnitude 7, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH (catalog)
2015 Monolithic, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH (catalog)
Creatives in Residence, Creative Practices Institute, Edmonton, AB
Nature Inc., Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY
Drawing Discourse: 6th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing,
Juror: Val Britton, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC (catalog)
2014 Group Exhibition, Gallery 10, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
BFA Thesis Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Essential Variations, Gallery 128, Philadelphia, PA
2013 112th Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Convergence, Gallery 128, Philadelphia, PA
2011 LAAFA Student Exhibition, The Whole 9 Gallery, Culver City, CA
Student and Faculty Exhibition, Los Angeles Academy of the Fine Arts, Los Angeles, CA
2010 Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art Student Exhibition, LA Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA
Artist-in-Residence
2022 StudioWorks Residency at the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, Eastport, ME
2019 MacDowell, Peterborough, NH
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT - Full Fellowship
Boreal Electroacoustic Music Society (BEAMS) Residency, Viljandi, Estonia
2018 ArtBnB Jerusalem, HaMiffal Cultural Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Sculpture Space (Accepted, unable to attend due to scheduling conflict)
2015 - 2016 Manifest Artist Residency & Award, Cincinnati, OH
2015 I-Park Foundation Residency, East Haddam, CT – Full Fellowship
2014 The League Residency at Vyt, Sparkill, NY – Ruth Katzman Full Scholarship
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Creative Practices Institute, Edmonton, AB
Selected Awards │ Grants │ Scholarships
2022 Major Artist-Driven Project Grant, Edmonton Arts Council, Edmonton, AB
2021 Third Prize, Manifest International Drawing Annual, Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH
2020 Arts Abroad: Residency Grant, Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, ON
2019 Manifest ONE Prize, Manifest Gallery & Research Center, Cincinnati, OH
2018 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, QC
Honorable Mention - ISC Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award
2017 Professional Development Grant, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
ISC Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award Nominee - Nominated by Alfred University
2016 Full Tuition Scholarship and Stipend, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, QC
2015 Edmonton Arts Council Travel Grant, Edmonton, AB
2014 August Cook Prize for Excellence in Drawing, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, PA
Simone C. Titone Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Charles Toppan Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Mabel Wilson Woodrow Trust Award, PAFA Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA
2013 Don Sabath Award Honorable Mention, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship Juried Prize Honorable Mention, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2012 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, QC
Caldwell Honorable Mention Scholarship, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia,PA
2011 Art Renewal Center Scholarship Competition – 2nd Place
Art Renewal Center International Salon – Finalist (also in ’10)
Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art Scholarship, Van Nuys, CA (also in ’10)
Artist Talks & Interviews
2022 CBC Radio Edmonton (Forthcoming)
2021 Artist Talk, Artists in the Fallow, Brighton Block, Edmonton, AB
2020 Artist Talk, Grande Prairie Regional College, Grande Prairie, AB
2019 Artist Talk, MacDowell Residency, Peterborough, NH
Artist Talk, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Artist Talk, Koidu Selstimaja, Viljandi, Estonia
2018 Interview with Marina Fridman and Michael Beitz, HaMiffal Cultural Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Artist Talk, Out of Body/Into Being, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, NY
2017 Incoming Graduate Student Lecture, Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2016 Gallery Talk, Panta Rhei, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2015 “Meet Manifest Gallery’s Artists-In-Residence,” by Jane Durrell, 91.7 WVXU Radio, Cincinnati
2014 “Interview with Marina Fridman,” by Jeremy Harpe, CFWE-FM Radio, Edmonton, AB.
Public Art Projects
2015 Panta Rhei, Temporary Ephemeral Installation, I-Park Foundation, East Haddam, CT
Curatorial Projects
2017 Co-Curator, Within/Between, The Belfry, Hornell, NY
Selected Press and Publications
2021 Cover, New Orleans Review, Loyola University, New Orleans, LA
“14th International Drawing Annual,” Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH
“GPRC Instructors Explore Art and Inspiration in Estonia,” Wisdom Magazine, Grande Prairie Regional College, p. 18-20
2019 “Seventy-Nine Artists Awarded MacDowell Fellowships,” Artforum, October 8, 2019.
“Best of Cincinnati 2019: Best Solo Exhibition at a Gallery,” CityBeat Magazine, March 27, 2019.
“Jerusalem Art Festival Unites Local and Global Talents,” Israel 21C, Jerusalem.
“Faculty Achievements,” Wisdom Magazine, Grande Prairie Regional College, p. 20
2018 "12th International Drawing Annual," Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH.
“Artist Spotlight: Marina Fridman,” Booooooom.com, October 2, 2018.
“The International Sculpture Center 2018 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards,”
Sculpture Magazine, October Issue, Vol. 37 No. 8, p. 52.
“Featured Artist,” A5 Magazine, September 25.
“Marina Fridman,” Wotisart Magazine, Issue 18, September 20.
Art in America, August Issue. (Ill.)
"Marina Fridman's 'Omniscient Body' Installation at Fosdick-Nelson Gallery," Artwxrk.com, August 29, 2018.
"Marina Fridman's Celestial, Hand-Drawn Installation," Hi-Fructose Magazine (Online), July 7, 2018.
"Alfred University graduate Marina Fridman honored by International Sculpture Center," Alfred U Press Release, June 12
"Interview with Marina Fridman," ACS Magazine. P 12-15, 68-85, January/February Issue.
2017 "11th International Drawing Annual," Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH. Sept 2017.
"Foundations of Drawing: A Practical Guide to Art History, Tools, Techniques, and Styles," by Al Gury, Random House (Ill.)
2016 "10th International Drawing Annual,” Manifest Press, Cincinnati, OH. Sept 2016. P. 83
"Creative Practices Institute Shuts Down House," by Claire Hoffman, Vue Weekly, Edmonton, AB. Aug 2, 2016.
Drawing Magazine, April 2016. (Ill.)
2015 "Interview with Marina Fridman and Sam Haring," by Jane Durrell, 91.7 WVXU Radio, Cincinnati, OH. Dec 28, 2015.
"Strokes of Genius 7: Depth, Dimension + Space,” North Light Books. Oct 2015.
"Manifest: Destiny for two young artists,” by Laura Pearce, Express Magazine, August 2015.
"2015 Festival Guide”, The Works Art & Design Festival, June 2015. (Ill.)
"Creatives in Residence,” by Connor Buchanan, Creative Practices Institute, June 2015.
"Art for the Soul,” by Donna Schmidt, Nyack’s Hamlethub, April 7, 2015.
"The Nature of Art,” by Mary Shustack, Wag Magazine, March 2015.
"Drawing Discourse: 6th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing Catalog,”
University of North Carolina Asheville, Feb 2015. P. 34-35
"Drawing Discourse,” GoUpstate.com, Jan 13, 2015.
2014 "The Power of Drawing,” Poets and Artists Magazine. Dec 2014.
"One By: Marina Fridman," by Kate Mothes, Young Space. Dec. 18, 2014.
"Art Journey: Portraits and Figures," North Light Books. Nov 2014. P. 64-65
"Interview," by Jeremy Harpe, CFWE-FM Radio, Edmonton, AB. Aug 10, 2014.
"Featured Artist," Poets and Artists Magazine. Feb 2014. Issue 52, P. 19-22
2013 "ARC International Salon Catalogue," Art Renewal Center (also in ’10, ’11)
Bluecanvas Magazine – January Issue
2011 American Artist Magazine – October Issue
Publications as Author
2015 “The Elements of Realistic Drawing” E-Book, The Drawing Source. April 2015
Teaching & Professional Experience
Sept 2013 - Present | TheDrawingSource.com | Founder, Online Drawing Course Creator & Instructor
Oct 2020 - Present | Latitude 53, Edmonton, AB | Consultant
May 2015 - Present | Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH | Juror
Aug 2018 - Aug 2020 | Grande Prairie Regional Gollege, Grande Prairie, AB | Full-time, Tenure-Track Instructor of Visual Arts
Jul 2020 | The Works Art & Design Festival, Edmonton, AB | Consultant
Dec 2018 | HaMiffal Cultural Center, Jerusalem | Instructor: Composition & Still Life Drawing Workshop
Feb 2018 | Peace River Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Beaverlodge, Alberta |
Instructor: Composition & Still Life Drawing Workshop
Sept 2016 - May 2018 | Alfred University, Alfred, NY | Graduate Teaching Assistant
Aug 2015 - Mar 2016 | Manifest Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH | Drawing Instructor
Sept 2018 | Apexart International Exhibition Program, New York, NY | Juror
Marina Fridman photographed by Saige Ashton Photography
Acknowledgements
I acknowledge and wish to thank the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Edmonton Arts Council, the City of Edmonton, and the Canada Council for the Arts for their support.
