TALIA SHIPMAN
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TALIA SHIPMAN
Talia Shipman is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, CA. Her practice often explores the combination of aesthetics that examine the pursuit of lifestyle and design. Often highlighting the layering of references, citing issues of cultural identity, social conventions and traditions, Shipman creates works that lend themselves to the texture of photo-based collage and installation. Her permanent public projects Blue Space (Water Wall) (2015) and Water is Taught by Thirst (Submerge) (2015) are both prominently on display in Toronto's Bay Street Financial District. In addition, she has exhibited both in Canada and US as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival (2015) at the Drake Hotel, Photorama (2008, 2013-15) at Gallery TPW in Toronto and Greenhouse (2015) at One Mile Gallery in Kingston, NY.
Shipman holds a BFA in Photography from Ryerson University, School of Image Arts (2007) and was awarded Best in Show (2007) in her graduate exhibition. She has been selected numerous times for the Magenta Foundation's Flash Forward Grant given to Emerging Photographers from Canada, US, UK in 2006, 2008 and 2014.
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Talia Shipman
“EXODUS: The Ten Plagues”
Angell Gallery is pleased to present “EXODUS: The Ten Plagues,” a first solo exhibition by emerging artist Talia Shipman. The exhibition runs from January 9th to February 14th, 2009.
This latest body of images represents a significant development in Shipman’s work. While still retaining her signature whimsically stylish appeal Shipman presents us with a series of 10 photographs that question the dark side of the human condition. Using symbolic characters to represent Moses and Aaron, Shipman has taken the story of the 10 Plagues from the Old Testament and paralleled it with human manifested plagues in today’s world, particularly those associated with new technology. In hands blood becomes oil; lice become surveillance; and darkness, the blanketing media filter.
Though thematically dense, Shipman presents the content in a refreshingly simplistic way. The photographs remind us of portraits of past, nostalgic sepia-toned daguerreotypes, yet Shipman’s styling and treatment of the subject matter is markedly contemporary. They are captivating in their stillness. Thought provoking and aesthetically stunning, her pictures leave us with an eerie sense of foreboding; haunting diagrammatical portraits of our mistreatment of the planet, and ourselves.
The word Plague itself connotes ‘an event caused by a power beyond our control’ and with these works Shipman beckons us to question how, through our increasing technological interventions we may have taken on the role of a reckless God. She urges us to consider how power has been abused and our faith abandoned. By re-interpreting the Old Testament into a contemporary framework Shipman presents us with a doctrine we can relate to, and perhaps even abide by.
Canadian Art Magazine recently tagged Shipman as one of Toronto’s artists to watch- and with this show she’s showing us why.
Graduating from the School of Images Arts at Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography in Spring 2007, Shipman has already made waves within the Canadian Arts Scene. She has exhibited and published internationally and has won numerous awards, most recently being honoured as an Emerging Photographer from the Canadian, UK and US Magenta Foundation. Originally from Vancouver, Shipman currently resides in Toronto.
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