About
Toronto/Ottawa based interdisciplinary artist
Curriculum Vitae
Education
2020, BFA Drawing and Painting + Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Minor , OCAD University, Toronto
Online Exhibitions
2020, DRAWING & PAINTING CLASS OF 2020 GRADEX105 SHOW, Propeller Gallery
2020, Art in the Time of Coronavirus
Selected Shows
2020, When I Touch You, at OCADU, Toronto
2020, Festival of the Body at OCADU, juried show, Toronto
2020, Art Prom at OCADU, Toronto
2019, Creature Comfort at Dorothy H Hoover Library, Toronto
2018, C.H.U.D. at OCADU, Toronto
2018, Saturate at Beaver Hall, Toronto
2017, Punk Circus at Smiling Buddha, Toronto
2017, Food Print at OCADU, Toronto
2016, Salon of Inclusiveness at Black Cat Artspace, Toronto
2016, OCADU Pop-up at Yorkville Village Arts Festival, Toronto
2016, Viscous, Anniversary Gallery at OCADU, Toronto
2016, Skin Condition, Solo Exhibition, Gladwin Studio, Ottawa
2016, First Year Student Exhibition, juried show, OCAD University, Toronto
2014, Solo Exhibition, Gladwin Studio, Ottawa
2013, Summer Student exhibition, Emily Carr University, Vancouver
Curatorial
2019, Symbiosis at OCAD University, Toronto
2016, South-Division Art Show, Campus Co-op, Toronto
Awards and Grants
2020, Mrs. W. O. Forsyth Award - Recipient
2020, OCADU Career Launcher Fund - Recipient
2019, Partial X OCADU Career Launcher - Recipient
Publications
2018, The Could Nots and Has Beens, art book
2017, August, "Maya Skarzenski," Dissolving Film Mag, web
2017, June, "Dermiscapes," The Humming Magazines, web
2017, January, "Bow," Amaize Mag, web
2016, June/July issue, The Candy Zine, web
Artist Statement
Maya Skarzenski is an interdisciplinary artist fusing together painting, textiles, and photography. Her work explores the intersections between the abject and the beautiful. Through the use of material exploration and by incorporating unusual process combinations, she dissolves the line between fine-art and craft. Painting and textile techniques allow Skarzenski to create bodily imagery that is sensual, fragile, playful, and ambiguous. Her work salvages beauty from the fear and unease in relation to the human body. She regards the body as something apart from the self. Her work investigates the body dismembered and reconstructed as landscapes, new creatures, and as objects of ornamentation.
Skarzenski is active in the Toronto art community through organizing exhibitions, facilitating art events, and by being a part of group and juried shows. Skarzenski is very passionate about DIY art spaces and creating tactile works that break away from gallery conventions.