Sackville artist Lucas Morneau, most well-known for his work as \u201cThe Queer Mummer,\u201d is featured on the 2021 New Generation Photography Award longlist.<\/p>\n
Scotiabank and the National Gallery of Canada present the award to lens-based artists under age 35, to hopefully elevate their developing careers.<\/p>\n
As one of those young artists, Morneau is excited to talk about his nominated works as well as the many forms of lens-based art.<\/p>\n
Morneau says that \u201cthe Mummer was built through experimentations in fiber art, but it was mostly done through photography.\u201d He drew inspiration from artists such as Cindy Sherman, \u201cwho creat[ed] personas or alter egos for their photographs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Experimenting with photography methods is important in Morneau\u2019s work, including developing photos using instant coffee, Vitamin C tablets, and iodized salt.<\/p>\n
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been developing them in his own home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a developing tank right next to me at the moment filled with super saturated salt. That helps to fix the film from developing even further or fading through time. I am testing to see if it\u2019s archival, so I actually have a slide of black and white film just attached to my window permanently. I check it every day to see how the image is doing,\" he says.<\/p>\n
Morneau has a pandemic project on the go that involves photography, titled the \u201cQNHL,\u201d or the \u201cQueer Newfoundland Hockey League.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes Newfoundland towns and pejoratives used against people in the LGBT community, especially on the ice and in the locker rooms, and reclaims them as the team names,\" he says.<\/p>\n
Morneau is looking into switching lenses, and has a grant in for a video project featuring his alter ego, \u201cThe Queer Mummer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hear this story as reported by CHMA:<\/p>\n\n