Omote (面) | Shion Skye Carter & Miya Turnbull

Omote (面) is a co-creation between Vancouver dance artist Shion Skye Carter and Halifax mask maker Miya Turnbull. The artists explore their mixed Japanese Canadian heritage with a myriad of deeply expressive hand-crafted and personalized masks. The choreography serves to collate and contrast their experiences and family histories, while evoking the intimate and ritualistic nature of Japanese traditions.

Their performance challenges traditional ideas of beauty, while gestures and tableau articulate the Japanese concept of ‘honne’ (a person’s true feelings) and ‘tatemae’ (their public face). Omote (面) translates to both ‘surface/face’ and ‘mask’, and explores multitudes of layers of being and the self, manipulating what is revealed and what is hidden, honing in on the churning, transitory nature of identity with over one hundred handcrafted masks.

Please note seating is unassigned, first come first served, come early!

Shion Skye Carter (they/she) is a dance artist from Gifu, Japan, based in so-called Vancouver, Canada. Through abstract storytelling, sensitive intensity in movement, and an embodied calligraphy practice, Shion’s work peels apart layers of identity and reflects on the complex human experience. They've performed across Canada and internationally in Berlin and Paris.

Miya Turnbull (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary visual artist based in Halifax, NS, originally from Alberta. Her practice spans sculpture, photography, video and performance and she primarily uses mask-making as a way to explore identity and layers of self. She has exhibited her work across Canada as well as internationally.

The 20% Early-Bird discount is valid on all individual ticket purchases, including single student tickets. However, promotional codes cannot be combined with bulk or bundled pricing. The $15 Student Pack (valid on purchases of 3 or more student tickets) represents a fixed maximum discount tier; therefore, Early-Bird percentages will not stack on top of the $15 pack rate.

For more information about Fluid Fest, visit our website: https://springboardperformance.com/programs/fluid-fest

About Esker Foundation

www.eskerfoundation.art

 Founded in May 2012, Esker Foundation owes its vision to its founders, Calgary-based collectors & philanthropists, Jim and Susan Hill, who wanted to create an accessible and welcoming space for people to experience contemporary art exhibitions and programming. An important part of this vision is to ensure that barriers to access are as low as possible. To that end, Esker is proud to offer free admission, programs parking to all visitors. Through exhibitions, public programs, publishing, and commissioning activities, the Foundation supports artists and audiences through a variety of learning, connecting, and collaborative models. The gallery reflects on current developments in local, regional, and international culture; creates opportunities for public dialogue; and supports the production of groundbreaking new work, ideas, and research.