Shari Kasman

Shari Kasman
Alma materYork University
McMaster University
Occupation(s)Musician, visual artist, and writer

Shari Kasman is a multidisciplinary artist and writer based in her hometown, Toronto, Canada.[1]


Education

Kasman has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music from York University[2] and a diploma in Music Performance in classical piano from McMaster University.

Career

Kasman has been teaching piano since 2001.

In the 2010s, Kasman photographed and provided guided tours of Toronto's Galleria Mall.[3] She created two photo books about the mall. Her related exhibit Memories of Galleria Mall was featured as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival in 2019.[3]

Kasman was involved in the creation of the large-scale guerilla art installation that became a community hub, Bloordale Beach,[4][5] which was described as a vision for reclaiming public space[6] and was the inspiration for music videos and other works of art.[7][8]

In 2022, after failing to persuade the City of Toronto to address flooding in a bicycle lane on Bloor Street, Kasman named the location "Bloordale Pond".[9] The same year, Kasman drew attention to the unused land on Brock Street, Toronto, by putting up unauthorised signs suggesting the location was "Parkdale Provincial Park".[10]

Kasman's work often provides commentary on the issues within Toronto, such as public transit[11] and alcohol consumption in public parks.[12] She works to integrate whimsy into in the city as well, such as a colourful recent installation on a chain link fence.[13]

Kasman is also a frequent contributor to the West End Phoenix, a local newspaper in Toronto.[14]

Books

  • Everything Life Has to Offer, Invisible Publishing, 2016, ISBN 9781926743844[15][16]
  • Galleria: The Mall That Time Forgot, Salted Pepper Projects, 2018, ISBN 9781999483302[17][18][19]
  • Goodbye, Galleria, Salted Pepper Projects, 2019, ISBN 9781999483319[20]
  • Rocks Don't Move and Other Questionable Facts, Salted Pepper Projects, 2021, ISBN 9781999483326[21][22][23]

References

  1. ^ Ricci, Talia (4 May 2019). "Photography exhibit preserves memory of Galleria Mall as it undergoes transformation". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  2. ^ "About Shari Kasman". Shari Kasman. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b LeBlanc, Dave (17 April 2019). "Toronto's Dufferin Galleria: The 'mall that time forgot' gets its moment in the spotlight". The Globe and Mail. ProQuest 2382454109. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  4. ^ Ulrich, Tania (14 December 2021). "Thought-provoking 'Bloordale Beach' short doc opens possibilities for city building". Ryerson University. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  5. ^ Takagi, Andy (July 24, 2024). "Why is this man dressed as a duck? Inside Toronto's guerrilla art world". Toronto Star.
  6. ^ "Bloordale Beach" (Documentary video). Beth Warrian. 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021 – via Vimeo.
  7. ^ Bloordale Beach. Pop Plug. 19 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ CATJAM - Bloordale Beach. Josh Mover. 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Gamrot, Sabrina (19 October 2022). "Toronto cyclists ring the alarm over dangerous bike lane that continuously floods and freezes". BlogTO. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  10. ^ Gamrot, Sabrina (6 December 2022). "New Provincial Park lands in abandoned Toronto wasteland slated for development". BlogTO. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  11. ^ Shea, Courtney (25 May 2023). "'The TTC should start paying me': Meet the artist posting satirical signage along the Queen streetcar route". Toronto Life.
  12. ^ Mudhar, Raju (8 October 2023). "Soon, 27 city parks involved in a pilot project will no longer allow alcohol consumption. But is it really last call?". Toronto Star.
  13. ^ Goudge, Alex (24 October 2024). "Toronto artist adds colour to Geary and deters vandalism with fence art piece". Toronto Today.
  14. ^ https://www.westendphoenix.com/contributors
  15. ^ Beattie, Steven W. (25 July 2016). "Fall Preview 2016: Fiction". Quill & Quire. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  16. ^ Kasman, Shari (2016). Everything Life Has to Offer. Halifax: Invisible Publishing. ISBN 9781926743844. OCLC 945951021.
  17. ^ Delap, Leanne (11 April 2019). "Are shopping malls making a comeback?". Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  18. ^ "The most popular photo essays of 2018". Toronto Life. 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  19. ^ Kasman, Shari (2018). Galleria: The Mall That Time Forgot. Toronto, Ontario: Salted Pepper Projects. ISBN 9781999483302. OCLC 1077280944.
  20. ^ Kasman, Shari (2019). Goodbye, Galleria. Toronto, Ontario: Salted Pepper Projects. ISBN 9781999483319. OCLC 1112667725.
  21. ^ Kasman, Shari (28 November 2021). "Fact-finder Shari Kasman gave herself a mission. Her new book, 'Rocks Don't Move', tells us what she found". Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Archived from the original on 24 October 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Rocks Don't Move and Other Questionable Facts". Spacing Store: Toronto's City Gift Store. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  23. ^ Kasman, Shari (2021). Rocks Don't Move and Other Questionable Facts. Toronto, ON: Salted Pepper Projects. ISBN 9781999483326. OCLC 1313482098.