Meryl McMaster

Meryl McMaster
Name	Meryl McMaster
Birth date	1988
Birth place	Ottawa, Ontario
Nationality	Canadian
Known for	Photography, performance, installation

Meryl McMaster is a Canadian photographer and multidisciplinary artist known for self-portraiture and staged photography that explores identity, history, and Indigenous presence. Her work intervenes in photographic conventions through performance, costume, and landscape, engaging dialogues with Canadian institutions and international art venues. McMaster's practice has been exhibited in museums, galleries, and biennials, and she has received awards and commissions from cultural organizations.

Early life and education

McMaster was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and raised in a family connected to the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the Anglophone community in Ottawa. She is the daughter of a photographer and grew up between urban Ottawa and rural settings, formative to her interest in landscape photography, portraiture, and performative staging. McMaster attended art programs and studied photographic techniques influenced by institutions such as the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the Ontario College of Art and Design University, and workshops linked to the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of History.

Artistic career

McMaster's career developed through group shows, solo exhibitions, and collaborations with artist-run centres and public galleries including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Grimshaw Architects-related commissions, and projects presented at the Ryerson Image Centre and the Glenbow Museum. She has participated in residency programs at the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the Canada Council for the Arts initiatives, and international residencies associated with the Banff Centre, leading to exhibitions in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and international fairs tied to the European art scene and the Biennale circuit. McMaster's interdisciplinary practice crosses photographic printing, performance, video, and installation in collaboration with curators from the National Gallery of Canada and independent curators who work with institutions like the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Style, themes, and influences

Her photographic style blends staged self-portraiture, theatrical costume, and landscape photography, drawing influence from photographers and artists such as Cindy Sherman, Jeff Wall, Richard Avedon, Edward Weston, and performers linked to the Canadian contemporary art milieu. Thematically, McMaster interrogates notions of Indigenous identity, heritage, and historical representation, engaging with archives like the Library and Archives Canada and dialogues surrounding Indigenous artists showcased at venues including the Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal and the Banff Centre. Her visual vocabulary references theatrical traditions, museology from institutions like the British Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian, as well as photographic histories represented by collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Tate Modern.

Major works and exhibitions

Major series and exhibitions include staged photographic bodies of work shown in solo exhibitions at galleries such as the DHC/ART in Montreal, the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Her photographic series have been included in group exhibitions with artists represented by the Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, and biennial programs affiliated with the Toronto International Film Festival and the Banff Centre. McMaster's works have been exhibited alongside exhibitions at institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, National Gallery of Canada, and in curated shows that toured venues like the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives and the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

Awards and recognition

McMaster has received grants and awards from organizations such as the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and recognition from artist awards tied to the Indigenous Arts Festival and national distinctions promoted by the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts ecosystem. Her work has been shortlisted or featured by prize juries connected to institutions like the Sobey Art Award, the Hnatyshyn Foundation, and other national arts foundations. She has been profiled in art publications and media outlets associated with galleries and museums including the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada.

Personal life and heritage

McMaster identifies with a mixed heritage including ties to Plains Cree ancestry and connections through family to communities represented in the Indigenous peoples of Canada framework. She lives and works in Toronto and travels for projects and residencies across Canada and internationally. Her familial relationships intersect with Canadian cultural institutions, and her personal history informs projects that respond to archival materials held by institutions such as the Library and Archives Canada and regional museums like the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto.

Collections and commissions

Her work is held in public and private collections including the National Gallery of Canada, regional public galleries such as the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and corporate collections connected to cultural patronage networks in Toronto and Ottawa. McMaster has completed commissioned works for institutions and public projects connected to museums and festivals like the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and municipal public art programs in cities including Calgary and Winnipeg.

Category:Canadian photographers Category:Indigenous artists of Canada