Betsy Schneider
Encyclopedia
Betsy Schneider is an American photographer who lives and works in Phoenix, Arizona
.
After her graduation from the University of Michigan
in 1987, she studied and received a degree in art
and photography
at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1990, and later a graduate degree from Mills College
in 1997. From 1993 to 1995, she worked as an assistant to photographer Sally Mann
.
After graduating from Mills in 1997, she moved to London where she lived for four years, and had her daughter Madeleine, and frequently had exhibitions in Northern Europe and England.
In 2001, she moved to Norway where her son Viktor was born, and in 2002 she moved to Tempe, Arizona
, accepting a position on the faculty in the School of Art at Arizona State University
.
In 2004, her photography caused some controversy in the UK
when the police received complaints about nude photographs of her daughter, on display in Spitz Gallery in a group exhibition, "Inventories", an exhibition of four artists whose work addressed family photography. The images were part of a series of pictures from a body of work entitled Quotidian and consisted of three 63 day blocks of daily images of her daughter from birth to nine weeks, two years and five years old. The artist herself was somewhat taken aback by the reaction to her photos and was quoted in the Guardian as saying:
Her work continues to address issues of childhood, but also extends to issues of the body, time, consumption and human relations.
In 2011 she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
After her graduation from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1987, she studied and received a degree in art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1990, and later a graduate degree from Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in 1997. From 1993 to 1995, she worked as an assistant to photographer Sally Mann
Sally Mann
Sally Mann is an American photographer, best known for her large black-and-white photographs—at first of her young children, then later of landscapes suggesting decay and death.-Early life and education:...
.
After graduating from Mills in 1997, she moved to London where she lived for four years, and had her daughter Madeleine, and frequently had exhibitions in Northern Europe and England.
In 2001, she moved to Norway where her son Viktor was born, and in 2002 she moved to Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
, accepting a position on the faculty in the School of Art at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
.
In 2004, her photography caused some controversy in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
when the police received complaints about nude photographs of her daughter, on display in Spitz Gallery in a group exhibition, "Inventories", an exhibition of four artists whose work addressed family photography. The images were part of a series of pictures from a body of work entitled Quotidian and consisted of three 63 day blocks of daily images of her daughter from birth to nine weeks, two years and five years old. The artist herself was somewhat taken aback by the reaction to her photos and was quoted in the Guardian as saying:
The aim of these pictures is not to provoke or to shock. The idea is to show time, change and growth.
Her work continues to address issues of childhood, but also extends to issues of the body, time, consumption and human relations.
In 2011 she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
.