Photographer

Beatriz Simas is an artist who, through the medium of photography, tackles idea of femininity and feminism, identity, and notions of belonging. Having grown up with a love for photography and fashion, as well as taking inspiration from the likes of Cindy Sherman, Nadia Lee Cohen and Sin Wai Kin, the artist explores the personality of a given character through the careful curation of clothing, makeup and props. Being a first generation Canadian with strong Portuguese Brazilian roots, the artist often uses her work to dismantle ways of viewing. What does it mean to be a first generation Canadian with a strong cultural background, within a visual realm? Through a theatrical/character-based photographic practice, the artist thoroughly analyzes and creates fully realized characters, undergoing a physical transformation, caught on film. From the Queen of France, to your meanspirited, pill-popping teacher, to your uncle and his odd, through era appropriate mustache, the artist undergoes a physical transformation, captured on film, to truly understand the persona of another person.