Barbara Bloom

Barbara Bloom was born in Los Angeles in 1951. She lived in Europe for nearly 20 years – first in Holland, and then in Berlin, now she lives and works in New York. In 1972 she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts.

Bloom is a visual artist, whose conceptual practice mainly relies on photography and installations. Her practice stems from the traditions of literature rather than the fields of painting and sculpture. In her artistry she interests in the value and meaning we give objects and images, as the relationship between them and how it can change through their placements and combinations.

Bloom has presented solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2015); Jewish Museum, New York (2013); Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin (2008); International Center of Photography, New York (2008); Dia Art Foundation, New York (2008); Parrish Art Museum, Southampton (2000); Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus (1998); Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (1992); Serpentine Gallery, London (1990); Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart (1990); Kunsthalle Zurich, Switzerland (1990) and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1985).

Bloom has been honored with a number of grants, including the Visual Arts Grant, Foundation of Contemporary Arts (2016); Visual Artist’s Fellowship, The National Endowment for the Arts (2006); Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship (1998); Wexner Center for the Arts – Artist in Residence Award (1997); Due Mille Prize at the Aperto of the Venice Biennale (1988) and the DAAD Berlin Artist Fellowship (1986).

Her works are held in numerous private and public collections including the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; Art Institute of Chicago; Australian National Gallery, Canberra; International Center of Photography, New York; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Jewish Museum, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Applied Art, Vienna; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Stedelelijk Museum, Amsterdam.