The Stage, 18 x 24 x 1.5, Oil on canvas
Anna Stephen Tanner is an American-born oil painter and curator from Atlanta, GA, practicing in Toronto, ON. Drawn to themes of tension, her practice traces her upbringing amongst rigid Southern American values to her experience as a femme lesbian woman. She depicts the commodification of the female form, reclaiming agency through her queer gaze. Her references come from vintage magazines, early 2000s media, rural America, and imagery from old Hollywood.
Recipient of the Honorable Mention Student award from the 65th Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, and the Cersiani Award and Grant from The Harely School, Tanner holds a BFA from OCADU majoring in Criticism and Curatorial Practices. Her recent Curatorial work includes, her BFA Thesis titled GRIT: Queer Stories from Rural America held at Remote Gallery, and Power Play; A Girl Behind A Gun held at Girl Fraud Gallery. Her painting work was recently featured in White Hot Magazine, and has been shown internationally at (SCENE) Metrospace in Michigan, US, and at Bevier Gallery at RIT in Rochester, NY, and in Toronto, ON at Stackt Market, Remote Gallery, Gallery1313, Ada Slaight Gallery, OCADU at Gradex111, and at the 65th Toronto Outdoor Art Fair.