Annette Blum

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Bio

Annette Blum is Adjunct Faculty teaching in the Jake Kerr Faculty of Graduate Studies. She holds the position of Associate Professor Emerita at OCAD University, Toronto, where she taught in the Faculty of Design as permanent full-time faculty, and in the Faculty of Visual Arts as Sessional Faculty at York University and Seneca at York, Toronto. She holds an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies from York University, and a BFA (Hons) from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where she also taught painting and drawing in the Department of Fine Arts before emigrating to Canada. 

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Research Interests

With her background in both fine arts and design, Annette Blum's interdisciplinary research focuses on the relationship between society, culture and visual arts practices. Having been raised in South Africa, her work has explored the role of art and design in nation building and reconciliation in post-Apartheid South Africa, and the ways in which women use visual narrative to negotiate the divide between traditional and contemporary culture. She has pursued memory and trauma research, and their varied expressions in women’s visual culture in both South Africa and Guatemala. Much of this scholarship has focused on visual creators working in community-focused initiatives, and how they cope with societal challenges in their lives through critical engagement with ideas and practices for cultural, socio-economic and health benefits. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, South Africa, England and Austria.

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Thesis Supervision

Supervised Programs:

• Master of Design
• MDES (Interdisciplinary)