Michael T. Bidner
(1944–)
(–1989)
Michael T. Bidner
1944–1989
Michael T. Bidner (1944–1989) was a Canadian graphic artist and painter, born in London, Ontario. He worked in mixed media such as silk screening, collages, slides, photography, and video. Bidner was best known for his works in xerography and mail art.
Bidner graduated from H.B Beal Secondary School and attended the Ontario College of Art and Design. However, he dropped out of school to pursue his work independently. Bidner, interested in reproduced imagery, complimented his involvement with mail art. In 1972, he founded Cloud Productions, a mail art style artist publication project in Vancouver. In 1984, he organized the first international exhibition of mail art, titled "Artistampex," in London, Ontario. Bidner began compiling a database of artists and artwork entitled "Standard Artistamp Catalogue and Handbook," to further network with other mail artists in Canada and abroad. Unfortunately, his declining health prevented him from finishing the project.
In 1989, Bidner's personal collections of original postage art were given to the Artpool Art Research Center in Budapest, Hungary. Bidner passed away from AIDS the same year.
