Virginia Mak - "Character Reference"

×

Expand

"Character Reference 17"

Virginia Mak, "Character Reference 17," C-Print, 28" x 28".

Opening Reception: Saturday, February 7th, 1-4 pm

Newzones is pleased to announce Character Reference, a solo exhibition by Virginia Mak.

Pushing photography beyond traditional limits, Mak explores the visual possibilities of the medium. Known for its soft focus and minimized light values, her work disrupts the boundary between painting and photography.

Character Reference consists of portraits drawn from figures in literature, folklore and mythology and represents contemporary allusions to characters such as Jane Erye, Madame Bovary, the film noir figure inspired by Raymond Chandler novels, the female figure in film director Douglas Sirk’s melodrama and Sylvia Plath in Ted Hughes’ early poem “St Botolph’s”. Using film and in-camera soft focus, Mak visually depicts these fictional characters and re-imagines the narrative.

Born in Hong Kong, Mak graduated with a Philosophy Degree from the University of Calgary. She went on to study Photography at The Ontario College of Art. She is a recipient of project, exhibition and travel grants from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Mak's photography can be found in the corporate collections of Encana and Nordstrom as well as private collections throughout North America and internationally.