Biography
CV
Miriam Fabijan (b. 1960, Calgary, Canada) is a contemporary multidisciplinary artist based in Calgary, Canada. She works across painting, drawing, photography, fibre art, and installation, employing mixed media, digital prints on bamboo paper, as well as photography. Her installations incorporate slide projections, video, painting, and sound, while her fibre art encompasses embroidery and molded weavings utilizing beeswaxed hemp, thread, ribbon, cord, and hair. Fabijan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary (1984) and a Master of Fine Arts from NSCAD University (1989). She is best known for her photo-based 2D artworks and multimedia installations, selecting materials that best support her chosen narrative, often experimenting with traditional and unconventional approaches.
Fabijan’s work explores themes of identity, cultural connections, and belonging, drawing inspiration from her Slovenian heritage and personal and familial history. She examines the effects of trauma and intergenerational trauma on memory, investigating how images, objects, and creative practices become vessels for storytelling, remembrance, and healing. Her projects reflect a deep engagement with memory and identity, offering layered visual narratives that question the construction of personal and collective histories. Among her significant past works are Second Sight, The Shade of a Shadow, Translations: My Hat Has Three Holes, and Stari Stara. Her recent and ongoing series include Nesting, Displaced, I Will Remember for You, and Mothers and Daughters.
Miriam Fabijan has exhibited widely, with solo exhibitions such as The Shade of a Shadow at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Canada, and Translations: My Hat Has Three Holes, Galerija Equrna, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Oboro, Montreal, Canada and Toronto Photographers Workshop, Toronto, Canada. She has participated in group exhibitions including Elemental Instincts at the Nickle Art Museum, Calgary, Canada; Young Contemporaries a touring exhibition out of the London Regional Art Gallery, London, Canada; and The Artist’s Lens: Identity at the Exposure Photography Festival, ASA Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Her work is held in the Canada Council Art Bank and the Walter Phillips Gallery for Contemporary Art, as well as various private collections nationally and internationally. She has participated in residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts and has contributed to academic discourse through panels and publications. Notably, she was awarded third prize in the Patterns of Memories International Art Competition at Vedica Art Studios and Gallery, Mumbai, India (2024).
Education
1992 Slovenian Language Studies Certificate, Ljubljana University, Ljubljana, Slovenia
1989 Master of Fine Arts Degree, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD University), Halifax, Canada
1984 Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Nesting. Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada
2019 Not everything can be named, The GRAND entrance gallery, Calgary, Canada
2018 By length and by depth, Arts Commons +15 Gallery, Calgary, Canada
1994 Translations, My Hat Has Three Holes, Toronto Photographers Workshop, Toronto, Canada
1993 Translations, My Hat Has Three Holes, Galerie Oboro, Montreal, Canada
1992 Translations, Galerija Equrna, Ljubljana, Slovenija
Translations, Beneska Galerija, Speter (San Pietro Al Natisone), Italy
1991 The Shade of a Shadow, YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Toronto, Canada
The Shade of a Shadow, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Canada
1989 The Shade of a Shadow, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, Canada
1986 Images in Context, Off Centre Gallery, Calgary, Canada
Living in Another’s Room, Latitude 53 Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
1985 Once…., Or Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
1984 Miriam Fabijan, The Exit Gallery, Walter Phillips Gallery of Contemporary Art, Banff, Canada
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 The Artist’s Lens 2025: Identity (Exposure Photography Festival 2025), Alberta Society of Artists Gallery, Calgary, Canada
2024 Blooming Earth, Gallery 3, Christina Lake, BC, Canada
2023 In Full Bloom, a celebration of artwork by and about women, ATB Branch for ART + Culture, Calgary, Canada
2022 Art and Found (Loft 112 Mini Gallery exhibition), Crescent Heights Association, Calgary, Canada
Many Gardens, Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada
Box Stories Gallery 2022, Loft 112, Calgary, Canada
2021 Art from the Unknown 2021, Alberta NDP caucus temporary virtual gallery, Canada
Cultural Diversity #YYZ, Memorial Park Library, Calgary, Canada
Portraits of Resilience (Online exhibition), Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, Canada
The Many Paths That Have Led Us Here: Stories of Resilience in the Arts, Arts Commons +15, Calgary, Canada
2019 4 Deep (featuring Miriam – Mirijam.) cSPACE King Edward, Calgary, Canada
Passage of Time. Quenten Doolittle Memorial Gallery, Pumphouse Theatre, Calgary, Canada
1997 Home Coming Exhibition, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada
1995 Les Ateliers s’exposent 1995, Cobalt Art Actuel, Montreal, Canad
1992 Day, Fabijan, Jolicoeur (Voies/Voix ou L’identité et la question du sujet en art), Galerie l’Oeuvre de l’Autre, Chicoutimi, Canada
1990 Red Green Blue Black and White, Walter Phillips Gallery of Contemporary Art, Banff, Canada
La Bouche Dan La Mur, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Canada
1989 Out of the Frying Pan…Into the Fire, JPL/Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff Centre, Banff, Canada
Elemental Instincts: a matter of course, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada
MFA Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, Canada
1988 Basic Sound Radio Show (I am she.), Halifax, Canada
MFA Group Show, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, Canada
Homecoming, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada
1988 London Life, Young Contemporaries ’87. Touring exhibition. London Regional Art Gallery, London, Canada, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, Canada, Concordia Art Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, Canada, Mississauga Civic Centre, Mississauga, Canada
1985 Points North, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Canada
Assemblage 1, 381 1⁄2 Talbot Street, London, Canada
Separate Spaces, Second Story Gallery (2SG/Truck Gallery), Calgary, Canada
Free Three Minutes (featuring: The picnic.), Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers film project, Centre
Eye Photography Gallery, Calgary, Canada; National Film Board Theatre, Calgary, Canada; IFVA (Independent Film and Video Alliance), Quebec City, Canada
1983 BFA Graduating Exhibition, Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada
1982 U of C Sculpture exhibition, Little Gallery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Selected Collections
Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers, Calgary, Canada
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Canada
Nova Corporation Collection, Calgary, Canada
NSCAD Visual Resource Collection, Halifax, Canada
Walter Phillips Gallery for Contemporary Art, Banff, Canada
Various private collections, Canada, USA, & Europe
Awards
2024 Patterns of Memories International Art Competition (3rd Prize), Vedica Art Studios and Gallery, Mumbai, India.
Residencies
2024 Santa Rosa Arts and Research Residency, Blooming Earth, Christina Lake, BC, Canada
2022 Many Gardens Artist Residency, Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada
2021 Arts Commons RBC Emerging Artist Program, Calgary, Canada
1990 Artist in Residence, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Canada
1984 Artist in Residence, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Canada
Grants
2023 Alberta Foundation for the Arts, 50th Anniversary Micro Grant
2022 Calgary Arts Development (CADA) Micro Grant, Calgary, Canada
2021 Canada Council Research and Creation Grant, Canada
Calgary Arts Development (CADA) Art Share Program Grant, Calgary, Canada
2011 Mount Royal University Centennial Project Funding, Calgary, Canada
1997/88 Canada Council Travel Grants, Canada
1994/93/92 La Ministère de la Culture du Québec Short Term Arts Grants “B.” Quebec, Canada
1993/92 Canada Council Arts Grants “B.” Canada
1992 Slovenska Izseljenska Matica (Slovenian Emigrant Society) Sponsorship. Slovenia
1991/89 Canada Council Project Grant. Canada
1990/86/85 Alberta Culture Project Grants. Alberta, Canada
1989/83 Banff Centre for the Arts Full Scholarship. Banff, Canada (Nova Corporation, Dorothy Harvey Memorial Scholarship)
1987/84 Alberta Culture Study Grants. Alberta, Canada
1985 Calgary Regional Art Foundation Empresario Grant. Calgary, Canada
Selected Press
“Miriam Fabijan, Artist Profile”. Artist Closeup, June 7, 2024
https://www.artistcloseup.com/blog/artist-profile-miriam-fabijan
“Miriam Fabijan” in Art on World Magazine, November – December 2024, pg.77, Italy (2024)
artonworld.com: Artonworld N 19 – ISSN 2975-2434
Katherine Oktober, “Body and Belonging” in Milk Art Journal Volume 2 (2023)
The Netherlands: House of Oktober Independent arts publisher (See here)
Miriam Fabijan: Nesting, Galleries West Magazine (Check here) (2022)
Gayathri Shukla, Elena Esina & Miriam Fabijan, “Landed: Transformative Stories of Immigrant Women” in Campfire Kinship Storytelling Inc.(https://campfirekinship.com/book/) (2022)
“Miriam Fabijan, Translations: my hat has three holes. Oboro, Montreal, Canada, May 1993
https://www.oboro.net/en/exhibition/translations-my-hat-has-three-holes/
Professional Contributions
2024 Mentor in Residence, ICAI (Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation), Calgary, Canada
2023 Presenter, CARFAC, Alberta, Canada
Design Charrette Facilitator, Engaging Learning Environments, The Association for Learning Environments,
Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada
Curator, ATB Branch for ART + Culture, Calgary, Canada
2022 Curator, Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada
Co-author, Campfire Kinship Storytelling Inc., Calgary, Canada (#1 Best Seller in Canadian Western
Provinces Biographies & Memoirs, Amazon 2022)
Visiting Artist, Art 30 Seminar. St. Joseph High School, Edmonton, Canada
2020–22 Exhibition Coordinator, Associate Curator & Curatorial Mentor, Indigenous Motherhood and Matriarchy,
Calgary Central Library, Studio C Prospect Gallery & Arts Commons, Calgary, Canada
2021 Lecturer, Department of Psychology/film analysis, University Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
2020–21 Author & Curator, The Many Paths That Have Led Us Here: Stories of Resilience in the Arts, Arts Commons+15, Calgary, Canada
2018–19 Exhibition Coordinator, Committee Member & Archivist. Nihisgaka Ogha – For Our Children (Tsuut’ina Nation). cSpace King Edward, Calgary, Canada, Arts Commons, Calgary, Canada, Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada, 7 Chiefs Sportsplex, Tsuut’ina Nation, Canada
Curator & Outreach Coordinator (Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society’s 1st & 2nd Annual Indigenous Art Exhibition), cSpace King Edward, Calgary, Canada
2019 Panelist (Careers in Creativity), University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
2017 Guest Artist(Common Ground Dinner Series), Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society, Calgary, Canada
1993 Panelist, IMAGINARY HOMELANDS: Issues of Cultural Identity (Moderator: Cyndra MacDowall, Panel: Miriam Fabijan, Yassaman Ameri, Lani Maestro) Toronto Photographers Workshop, Toronto, Canada
1992 Conference Panelist, Voies/Voix ou l’identité et la question du sujet en art, Galerie l’Ouevre de l’Autre, Université du Quebec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
1991 Artist Talk, The Shade of a Shadow. Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Canada
1990 Visiting Artist, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Canada
1989 Presenter & Technician & Archivist, RADIO FREE BANFF: ’89 DAYS OF RADIA 89.9 F, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Canada
1988 Visiting Artist Coordinator (Genevieve Cadeaux, guest artist), Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, Canada
1988/89 Artist Talks & Lecturer, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), Halifax, Canada
1985 Exhibition Coordinator, Separate Spaces & The Ice Flow, Second Story Gallery (2SG/Truck Gallery), Calgary, Canada
Selected Catalogues
2022 The Boxed Stories Gallery III, author; Lisa Murphy Lamb, Loft 112 Gallery, Spring, 2021, Calgary, Canada
1995 Les Ateliers s’exposent 1995. Hélène Poirier, author ~ editor; Richard Théoux, author ~ editor. Cobalt Art Actuel, Montréal, Canada
1992 Translations, Miriam Fabijan. Miriam Fabijan, artist ~ author; Brane Kovic, author. Galerija Equrna, Ljubljana, Slovenija
1991 Miriam Fabijan, The Shade of a Shadow. Helena Goldwater, author; Joan Stebbins, curator ~ author. SAAG, Lethbridge, Canada
1990 Elemental Instincts: a matter of course. Donna McAlear, curator ~ author. Nickel Arts Museum, Calgary, Canada
La Bouche Dans Le Mur. Ian Robertson, curator ~ author. Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Canada
Radio Free Banff: ’89 Days of RADIA 89.9 FM. Hank Bull, author; Miriam Fabijan, contributor; Dan Lander, contributor; Brent Lee, contributor; Laurie Radford, founder ~ contributor; Ian Robertson, contributor. Claude Schryer founder ~ contributor; and Banff Centre Inter-Arts, Banff, Canada
1987 London Life: Young Contemporaries ’87. Marnie Fleming, curator ~ author. London Regional Art Gallery, London, Canada
Selected Reviews and Articles
2016 Straton, Grace. “Hearing Listening.” BASIC SOUND: A BREIF HISTORY, NSCAD, pg. 6–8, 2016
1999 Lerner, Loren. “Looking Back, Looking Forward: Canadian Women Artists with Eastern European Connections and Postmodern Remembering.” Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, XXXI, No. 3
1994 “Acts of Translation.” Parallelogramme 19, no.4 (1994): 78.
1993 Bernatchez, Raymond. “’Translations’ de la mémoire originelle et du langage visuel créateur.” La Press, Montreal, 15 mai, 1993
Hakim, Mona. “Interroger les fantome du passé.” Le Devoir, Montreal, les samedi 22 et dimanche 23 mai, 1993
1992 Babic, Dajana. “Spetru In Njegovih Umegovih Umetikih.” Rodna Gruda, Slovenija, December 1992.
Cimerman, Ivan. “‘Stari Kraj’ prednikov in likovni motivi iz cilkla ‘Translations.’” Slovenec, Ljubljana, 22 avgust, 1992.
Cimerman, Ivan. “‘Prevaljanaja’ Miriam Fabijan.” Rodna Gruda, Slovenija, oktober, 1992.
Golubov, Suzana. “Proslovan pod javorovim listrom.” Delo, Ljubljana, 21 avgust, 1992.
R.P. “Beneska galerija s polno paro.” Novi Matajur, Cedad (Cividale), Italy, 17 September 1992
1988 Gravel, Claire. “Jeunes Contemporains à Concordia / Une relève redoutable.” Le Devoir, Montreal, le 6 aout, 1988.
Toulsey, Nancy. “Nickle Arts display shows growth of young artist.” Calgary Herald, November 2, 1988
Selected Reviews and Articles
Looking back, looking forward: Canadian women artists with Eastern European connections and postmodern remembering: Miriam Fabijan.(Click here)
Canadian Artists of Eastern European Origin: Miriam Fabijan.(Click here)
Basic Sound Radio Show: December 16, 1988: Miriam Fabijan ‘I am she’. (Click here)
In Full Bloom: A celebration of artwork by and about women, Miriam Fabijan, curator, Galleries West Magazine, 2023.(Click here)
CAW WAC, Climate Art Web. Miriam Fabijan: Turtle Island Climate Artist Ally.(Click here)
Artexte. Miriam Fabijan: list of publications.(Click here)
Sharing a spotlight with the underrepresented: Miriam Fabijan’s story.(Click here)