“The Stage”, 24X12, Oil
Anna Stephen Tanner is an American born artist, and curator from Atlanta, GA, currently practicing in Toronto, ON. Her work, primarily oil based, is saturated and expressive, using figurative imagery to explore the synthesization of sexuality and identity. Drawn to the depiction of tension, she traces from her upbringing amongst rigid southern american values to the root of experience as a femme queer woman. Connecting the two worlds of experience where themes of objectification, commodification and fetishization rule.
With modern media centering sex and violence, her references come from all around her. Whether it's a vintage playboy from her and her girlfriends collection or imagery of famous porn stars. Tanner brings a gaze of gritty feminine experience and perspective that often permeates and festers in male minds. Tanner’s reclamation of feminine imagery and sexual expression is an act of resistance that many can find resonation.
Receiving the Cerasani Award & Grant from The Harley School, and graduating with Honors from Sheridan College, she is working on her BFA at OCADU for Criticism and Curatorial Practices. Her work has been shown internationally at (SCENE) Metrospace in Michigan, US, Stackt Market, and Ada Slaight Gallery in Toronto, ON.