Barbara Nessim
American, 1939
Barbara Nessim is a pioneering American visual artist, illustrator, and educator whose influential career spans over six decades. Born in the Bronx in 1939, she graduated from Pratt Institute in 1960 and quickly emerged as one of the few women to break into major commercial illustration during the 1960s. Her bold, expressive work appeared in leading publications such as Time, Rolling Stone, Harper’s Bazaar, and The New York Times Magazine.
In addition to her commercial success, Nessim made early and significant contributions to digital art. In the 1980s, she became one of the first artists to experiment with computer-generated imagery, producing groundbreaking digital series like *Random Access Memories*, *The Model Project*, and *Chronicles of Beauty*. These works combined fine art, fashion, and technology, establishing her as a key figure in the evolution of digital media in contemporary art.
Nessim also had a long career in education, teaching at the School of Visual Arts and later chairing the Illustration Department at Parsons School of Design, where she helped introduce computer art into the curriculum. Her work has been the subject of major retrospectives, including exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Bard Graduate Center in New York.
Her art is held in the permanent collections of major institutions, including the Whitney Museum, LACMA, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. She has received numerous honors throughout her career, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Pratt Institute and induction into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.
In addition to her commercial success, Nessim made early and significant contributions to digital art. In the 1980s, she became one of the first artists to experiment with computer-generated imagery, producing groundbreaking digital series like *Random Access Memories*, *The Model Project*, and *Chronicles of Beauty*. These works combined fine art, fashion, and technology, establishing her as a key figure in the evolution of digital media in contemporary art.
Nessim also had a long career in education, teaching at the School of Visual Arts and later chairing the Illustration Department at Parsons School of Design, where she helped introduce computer art into the curriculum. Her work has been the subject of major retrospectives, including exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Bard Graduate Center in New York.
Her art is held in the permanent collections of major institutions, including the Whitney Museum, LACMA, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. She has received numerous honors throughout her career, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Pratt Institute and induction into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.
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