I’m excited to announce that one of my friends, a Toronto-based photographer Masha Cavallier, will be hosting an art exhibition from December 14 to December 28, 2017. The exhibition will take place at Berenson Fine Art Gallery located at 212 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON.
Titled “Pierrot: the Broken Girl,” this project represents “an attempt to find a visible form of invisible, spiritual content.” Using Pierrot as the symbol of suffering, Masha seeks to depict the inner worlds of women portrayed on the photos. “When you try on his character,” she writes, “you are letting go of your comfortable mask you like to wear in public. He is subtle and sophisticated, and always contradictory—he is cheerful but unhappy; he suffers while in love; he is sad, but his soul sings! He is the soul itself. ”
As she maintains, the models involved in this project are not abstract. Behind each photograph is a real person with an authentic story. In her interview with Toronto’s Distillery Magazine, Masha also mentions that not everyone would be able to serve as a model for this project, as most people aren’t comfortable with exposing their vulnerable side. Likewise, not everyone who experiences pain is ready to examine oneself at a deeper level. It is only after a long of process of “deep self-analysis, anxiety, and physical pain,” can one admit personal vulnerabilities and accept the inner Pierrot. Such process, Masha believes, is “the beginning of inner changes, spiritual growth, or even complete rebirth.” In other words, it’s journey towards self-awareness.
Masha Cavallier specializes in glamour and portrait photography. Using natural talents and professional skills, she infuses her works with vibrancy and color with a touch of fantasy and fairy tales. Aside from working full-time as a freelance photographer, Masha is also a very active member in Christ the Savior Russian Orthodox Church, where she devotes her time and energy to providing memorable photography for various congregational events, such as baptisms, weddings, and major holidays.
The gallery opening will take place on Thursday, December 14th, at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served.
Olga Sushinsky 