Somewhere In Between
Miya Turnbull explores her mixed cultural identity as half-Japanese/half-Caucasian with this series of 5 self-portraits masks, which also have hidden faces on the inside.
Best viewed inside the library during open hours. You can still view the project from outside but for optimal viewing visit it during the day.
This series of 5 masks are "Inside Out" masks, which have faces on both the front and the inside space. Miya Turnbull explores her cultural identity with self-portraits and in this case, she is referencing her mixed Japanese-Canadian ancestry. The only difference between the 5 masks is the slanting of Miya's eyes as she explores what she would look like if she were more or less 'Japanese' or 'Caucasian' and by the end, the faces become distorted variations. The faces on the inside of the masks, appear to protrude out into space because of the way our brains process visual information within a concave space. These faces are identical, with eyes closed as if in meditation or reflecting inwards, representing subconsciousness or an inner self. The mask in the centre of the installation represents Miya as 'in-between' and mixed race.
