There has been an increased spotlight on masks, in terms of safety, as we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic. As an artist who works with masks as a medium, Miya Turnbull finds the range of responses to mask wearing so interesting (and concerning at times). Her 3D masks are part collage, photography and sculptural self-portraits, and explore issues of identity and the space in between margins. Visit her exhibition of masks entitled Somewhere In Between in the Corridor Gallery by appointment October 6 – 30, 2020 and watch the video tour on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zy217HjniyQ.

Of her work, Turnbull writes:
In the midst of a pandemic, masks are now a part of our daily life and there is quite a range of experiences and responses to covering our faces out in public spaces. I have been advocating for and sewing cloth masks since the outbreak, but previous to that and presently, I also make masks as sculpture pieces or as ‘false faces’ that can be worn. My masks are three-dimensional self-portraits – a combination of sculpture, photography and collage. Over and over, I create new variations of my image and alter my image in various manners. I do this as a way to explore different facets of my identity, specifically being half Japanese and examining the space ‘in-between’ and to present different variations and personas of my ‘self’.

I dissect, distort and reconstruct my own image in an attempt to transform and examine myself from an outside perspective. I am separating myself from my physical appearance, which is often how we are defined and labelled, especially at first glance. I am interested in the space between defined margins; where one cultural race becomes another, where beauty turns into the grotesque, where the outside persona turns inward and vice versa. I am continuously attempting to hone in on the transitory nature of identity to reveal and attempt to embody something previously hidden. I am also attempting to examine identity in a more broad sense, engaging and encouraging others to also see “beyond” the masks that we might be wearing.

Miya Turnbull is a multi-disciplinary visual artist. Primarily a mask maker, she also works in many mediums such as painting, photography, screen printing, textiles, video, animation and projection. Originally from Alberta, Miya graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (2000) and moved to Halifax in 2002 where she lives with her husband and daughter.

Miya has exhibited her artwork in solo and group shows across Canada. Her last major exhibit in 2019 was at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Gallery in Toronto, Ontario where she displayed over 60 masks. She had one of her videos screened at Photophobia (2020)- a film festival of short-format contemporary media through the Art Gallery of Hamilton and Hamilton Artists Inc. She also recently was a part of a group exhibit about identity at The Craig Gallery in Dartmouth for the month of September. She has an upcoming exhibit next May/June 2021 at Gallery 101 in Ottawa, Ontario. Miya gratefully acknowledges the support from Arts Nova Scotia which has allowed her artwork to flourish.

Located inside the Visual Arts Nova Scotia office at the Halifax Seaport since 2000, the Corridor Gallery is complimented by a historical legacy of Nova Scotia culture, simple yet modern architectural elements and an array of current cultural activity in the Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia office. The Corridor Gallery is located at 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia, a city situated on unceded Mi’kmaq territory.

Due to COVID-19 the VANS office will be open to the public by appointment during September. All visitors to the office must wear a mask, practice distancing, and sanitize hands upon arrival. In consideration of the size of the office and the Corridor Gallery, one visitor is permitted at a time.

Visual Arts Nova Scotia advances the visual arts through leadership, education, and communication.

High resolution image for press available via Dropbox. See more of Miya Turnbull’s work on Instagram @miyamask.

For further information or to make an appointment to view the exhibition please contact:
Carri MacKay
Programming Coordinator
communicate@visualarts.ns.ca | www.visualarts.ns.ca