Emerging, Vancouver-based artist Alice MacKenzie draws inspiration from the long history of elaborate costuming and adopting of alternative personas in self portraiture, in order to examine and interpret aspects of her autistic identity. The current exhibition features two distinct but related bodies of work that are composed entirely of self-portraits. Both bodies of work serve as a way for MacKenzie to document and examine her personal experience with autism, as well to reflect on other family members that she suspects may have been neurodivergent.
A particular focus in much of MacKenzie’s work is the concept of “masking”, in which autistic individuals alter their behavior to disguise their autistic traits and act more similarly to their non-autistic peers. Through MacKenzie’s introspective self-portraits, viewers are prompted to examine examine the ways that their own personal masking – neurodivergent or otherwise – can alter the ways in which they view themselves. Viewers are prompted to differentiate between their natural feelings and the masks that they wear throughout their day, and to contemplate if unravelling their masks could lead to a more authentic self. Through her unreserved self-portraits, MacKenzie’s work is in effect a visual unraveling of her own mask, utilizing aspects of performance to the pursuit of a more complete understanding of the self.
Curated by Aaron Scobbie.
With the generous support of the RBC Emerging Artists Project, The Reach presents four Art on Demand exhibitions per year, developed through a mentorship program for emerging artists and curators aged 18 to 25.
Art on Demand 8.3 monograph
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum December 08, 2023 to January 27, 2024.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum October 14, 2023 to December 02, 2023.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 24, 2023 to May 06, 2023.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 27, 2023 to March 18, 2023.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 18, 2022 to January 08, 2023.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 25, 2022 to May 07, 2022.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 28, 2022 to March 19, 2022.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 18, 2021 to January 08, 2022.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum October 01, 2021 to November 13, 2021.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 25, 2021 to May 08, 2021.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 28, 2021 to March 20, 2021.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 05, 2020 to January 09, 2021.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum September 10, 2020 to November 01, 2020.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 12, 2020 to April 26, 2020.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 23, 2020 to March 08, 2020.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 21, 2019 to January 05, 2020.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum October 03, 2019 to November 17, 2019.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 14, 2019 to May 05, 2019.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 24, 2019 to March 10, 2019.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 15, 2018 to January 06, 2019.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum September 27, 2018 to November 10, 2018.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 15, 2018 to May 06, 2018.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 18, 2018 to March 11, 2018.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 16, 2017 to December 31, 2017.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum September 21, 2017 to November 12, 2017.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum March 23, 2017 to May 07, 2017.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum January 26, 2017 to March 19, 2017.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum November 24, 2016 to January 08, 2017.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum September 22, 2016 to November 20, 2016.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum July 21, 2016 to September 11, 2016.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum June 16, 2016 to July 17, 2016.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum December 03, 2015 to January 03, 2016.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum October 29, 2015 to November 29, 2015.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum August 06, 2015 to September 06, 2015.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum July 11, 2015 to August 02, 2015.
Originally exhibited in Abbotsford at The Reach Gallery Museum May 30, 2015 to July 05, 2015.
