Please join us in welcoming Pixel Heller to the RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program! To learn more about Pixel’s artistic practice and her plans for the artist studio, visit her profile and read her blog post below!
My time at the RMG Gallery will be an exploration of self and the themes that have shaped my artistic journey. For those new to my practice, I began my degree at OCAD University during the pandemic while living in Winnipeg. When classes resumed in person, I moved to Toronto to complete my studies and by my third year, my work primarily consisted of drawings and paintings. A pivotal conversation with my mentor, Anique Jordan, led me to expand my practice beyond 2D paintings. In my final year, I delved into researching Trinidad Carnival and began practicing Moko Jumbie, a stilt-walking tradition rooted in West African spirituality and carried into the Caribbean through the Transatlantic slave trade. The Moko Jumbie symbolizes protection, guardianship, and a connection to the spirit world. For me, Moko Jumbie represents a deep connection to my identity that words can’t fully describe. It has allowed me to embrace my Blackness, deepen my exploration of self-expression, and discover that art extends beyond 2D forms, revealing the transformative power of storytelling through performance and art.
Growing up in Manitoba and spending my life in Canada, I had never fully explored my Caribbean heritage until this period. For my thesis project, I designed costumes reflecting the diasporic experience and performed as a Moko Jumbie across Toronto. By 2025, I see myself as a multidisciplinary artist—a performer, photographer, ceramicist, and textile artist who also incorporates painting. My work centers on themes of Black identity, the diaspora, Caribbean traditional masquerade, and the intersection of fashion, design, costumes, and masks.
Now during this residency, I aim to continue this journey through mixed-media installations and sculptures. I will further investigate self-identity through art while deepening my research into masquerade traditions. I plan to explore the relationship between costumes and the body, as well as the ways masquerade functions as a form of storytelling, resistance, and cultural preservation. This residency will be an opportunity to expand my creative language and connect with my roots on a deeper level.
