Barbara Nessim

Barbara Nessim was born in 1939 in New York City, where she still lives and works today. She graduated from Pratt Institute in 1961, focusing on graphic art and illustration. Her mother worked as a clothing designer, and that early exposure to fashion and design helped shape her interest in visual expression.

She began her artistic practice using traditional methods that included drawing, watercolor, printmaking, and collage, and later expanded her approach to include photography and digital media. In the early 1980s, Nessim was one of the first artists to explore computer-generated art, using emerging technology to push her work in new directions.

Her art often reflects on themes of gender, identity, and pop culture, expressed through bold color, dynamic line, and conceptual depth. Whether working by hand or digitally, her practice has always been driven by experimentation and curiosity.

Nessim’s work has been widely exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world. She has also made a significant impact as an educator, mentoring the next generation of artists and contributing to both commercial and fine art fields.

Her work is held in the permanent collections of The Whitney, LACMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Louvre, and the Smithsonian Institution. Select solo exhibitions include RCM Galleries, the Victoria and Albert Museum Gallery, and the PHI Centre. She also has permanent installations at the Eventi Hotel, the Centria Building, and 600 Washington Street, reflecting her lasting influence on contemporary art.