Theodor Pelmus
“My process of work can be described as a continuous construction and deconstruction of identity through paintings, photography, video and performance. Painting and photography develop as an exercise of branding slippery identity and gender. In my performances I create multisensory environments that fuse elements from sculpture, video, opera, and DIY aesthetic. Glamour and viscerallity coexist in a realm of grotesque beautification. Driven by the idea of reinventing body anatomy I use elements that either come from the live realm (such as butterflies) or elements that imitate life (such as red liquid circulating through tubes mirroring blood flow, ice-cream self-portraits, fluids and fresh meat that smell as caramel or tiramisu syrup). Visceral and glamour are defining a baroque performative territory where the body bleeds out chocolate, inverted sugar, tiramisu and caramel syrup.”
- Theodor Pelmus
Theo Pelmus is a performance artist who has received several awards, including an emerging artist grant and integrated arts grant from the Ontario Arts Council (2006; 2009), the Dennis Tourbin Fund for emerging artist in performance art (2007) and an emerging artist grant from the City of Ottawa (2009). He has exhibited nationally and internationally, including shows in Copenhagen and the Bucharest Biennial. Theo has a BFA and MFA from the University of Fine Arts in Bucharest and University of Ottawa. He is an active participant in the Ottawa arts community, most notably as a programming member of Available Light Screening Collective. He is represented by La Petite Mort Gallery in Ottawa.
