bio
Omar Reyna is a Mexican-Canadian artist that seeks the materialization of the work of art at a midpoint between research and the activity of making; in his view, making while experimenting is a form of physical thinking. A great part of his art practice occurs in the boreal forest in the surroundings of Whitehorse where he lives and works.
Born in Mexico City and now settled in Yukon, Canada, Omar has studied in visual communication, photography, sculpture, painting, and the philosophy of image. His work has been exhibited in Canada, Argentina, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the USA among others. Omar is a finalist of the YukonPrize for visual Arts 2023.
Statement
I see my art practice as an act of contriving worlds beyond the visible, between the real and the imagined. I aim to trigger events and actions that connect, disturb and question what we perceive. My approach is much as cerebral as a physical engagement. Research and reflection are a big part of my process, but I also think, articulate, and conceptualize through the activity of making. In my view, making while experimenting is a form of physical thinking.
My art practice is photography-based, acting as a wrapping art form for other mediums—in unison towards a unified output. Many of my art-making processes rely on an unfocused mind where I make progress eluding direct thinking.