Lawrence Bird

ISEA2024

I am a settler artist of Welsh and English heritage, living on the territory of Treaty One (signed in 1871 between the Anishinaabe and Maskêkowiyiniwak and the government of Canada), and in the homeland of the Métis Nation. I am fascinated by the intersection of space, material, and image. My media artwork explores urban sites, geographies, and traces of land use through video, short films, image processing, projection mapping and installation in public places.

I also write, on the embedding of cultural histories in film, media, and architecture. I have co-edited two books on public art and architecture; my writing has been published by Arbeiter Ring Press Books, Intellect Books, Leonardo, Canadian Architect, and Azure. My PhD in History & Theory of Architecture (McGill, 2009) focused on the image of urban destruction in anime; I also hold an MSc from London School of Economics (2000) and a professional degree in architecture (McGill, 1991). In architectural practise I’ve worked mainly on cultural and public art projects, including an interpretive trail in collaboration with First Nations, Métis, and settler communities (with Sputnik Architecture). I’ve taught at McGill University, University of Manitoba, the Winnipeg Film Group, Kanazawa International Design Institute (Japan), and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

ISEA2022

Lawrence Bird practices in media art and architecture. His artwork focuses on imaging technologies and their intersection with space, in particular its political and social dimensions. His work includes video exploration of urban sites, projection mapping and installation, and short films; he led Winnipeg’s contribution to the cityoneminutes project. Since 2012 he has been developing a body of videos and projections focused on anomalies in popular imaging and mapping programs; the work intends to expose the failures of western mapping projects. Lawrence’s artwork has been installed in Winnipeg, Halifax, Toronto, London, Greenwich, Brussels, and Manizales (Colombia) with funding from Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. He also writes, having contributed to Critical Planning, Mechademia, Chora, Leonardo, furtherfield.org, and elsewhere. He works with Sputnik Architecture, Winnipeg, a practise focusing on cultural and social projects, including the international public art competition Warming Huts.

ISEA2017

Lawrence Bird, Winnipeg, Canada, Architect, Visual Artist at Ager Little Architects.  Lawrence has trained in architecture, urban design, film and visual arts; he works across these fields. He is fascinated by images of cities and regions, and relationships between image and materiality. His visual art focuses on the political and social dimensions of imaging technologies and the space they document. His work has been installed and screened in Winnipeg, Halifax, Toronto, Montréal, London (UK), and Brussels. He has taught at McGill University, the University of Manitoba, Kanazawa International Design Institute (Japan), and Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Lawrence has written for Critical Planning, Mechademia, Chora: Intervals in the Philosophy of Architecture, Leonardo, and  furtherfield.org, among other venues.

Lawrence Bird, Architect, Visual Artist, Ager Little Architects, Winnipeg, Canada

vimeo.com/lawrencebird