Meryl McMaster: Stories of the Infinite Sky

Stories of the Infinite Sky places the artwork of Quebec-based photographer Meryl McMaster into the landscape of southwest Ohio. Blown up as semi-transparent tapestries, this outdoor exhibition presents the artist’s photographic epics within the plant and animal life of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. Drawing inspiration from memories and cultural traditions related to her nêhiyaw (Plains Cree), Métis, Dutch, and Scottish ancestry, McMaster dons a new persona in each photograph. Seeing each one as its own theatrical performance, McMaster constructs a layered backstory with the props she crafts, the clothing and makeup designs she creates, and the culturally significant locations to which she brings a second life.

Stories of the Infinite Sky presents a collection of photographs full of fantastical stories and new narratives to consider. While each persona and landscape is wildly different from the last, they all aim to entrap the viewer in a dreamlike trance. The dramatic movement and emotion captured in each scene turns the photograph into a snapshot, a blip of a moment characterized by a sense of wonder. By prompting deeper contemplation, McMaster’s storytelling captivates the viewer, drawing them in close for a moment of self reflection within her exhilarating scenes and the park itself.

Curator: Mary Visco, Guest Curator