Working Girls is a series of instant photographs by artist Liam Ross that explore the ephemeral labour of drag performers in Halifax. Backstage moments, rather than stage performances, are emphasized: preparing makeup and costumes, travelling to gigs, breaks between acts, and dressing room antics. The resulting photographs are at times compelling, intimate, and revealing. Make an appointment to see Working Girls in the Corridor Gallery until February 25 and watch the video tour on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jVnknuzNAlo.

Of the work in this exhibition, Ross writes:
In 2020, Halifax’s only gay bar shut down for several months due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The bar is open again now under new ownership, but no one is sure this revival is permanent. Halifax has already felt the decline in dedicated LGBTQ spaces since the 90’s, having had several bars and other spaces at the time, but the pandemic may be the killing blow. As much as it is an ode to unseen labour, “Working Girls” is also a desperate time capsule of a period where dedicated drag venues across the world are permanently disappearing.

Liam Ross is an emerging interdisciplinary artist based in Halifax, Canada. He has given public talks at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Anna Leonowens Gallery, shown work in collaborative and solo exhibitions at the Anna Leonowens Gallery, and received a BFA in Expanded Media from NSCAD University in 2020. He was selected to take part in the 2020-21 VANS Mentorship program, mentored by David Diviney.

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 this exhibition. 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 Liam Ross’s work on his website vendingmachinefanclub.com and Instagram: @vendingmachinefanclub.

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