Camille Turner facts for kids

Camille Turner (born March 11, 1960) is a Canadian artist. She works with media and performance. She is also a curator and an educator. Her art has been shown around the world. It often explores what it means to be a Black Canadian.

Growing Up in Canada

Camille Turner was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She moved to Canada when she was nine years old. First, she lived in Sarnia, then Hamilton, Ontario.

When she was a child, she often felt different. Other kids sometimes made her feel like she did not belong. She has said that she often wondered, "When will I ever be Canadian?"

Canada was also where she reunited with her father. He worked in the steel industry in Hamilton. Camille says that her art often explores ideas of belonging and home. This is because home always felt like a faraway dream for her.

Her Education

Camille Turner studied at several universities. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art. She also attended McMaster University and Sheridan College.

Later, she earned two advanced degrees. She got a Master of Environmental Studies. She also completed a doctorate in Environmental Studies at York University.

Her Art and Projects

Camille Turner's art looks at identity and different cultures. She uses performances, installations, and media art. Her recent work explores hidden histories of places.

Miss Canadiana

One of her most famous characters is Miss Canadiana. She is a glamorous beauty queen. Since 2002, Miss Canadiana has been on a "Red, White, and Beautiful Tour." She travels around the world. Through this character, Camille Turner questions common ideas about Canada. She makes people think about what "multiculturalism" really means.

Imagining Black Futures

Camille Turner often uses new media art and mobile technology. She creates interactive projects. Many of her projects imagine black futures. This style is called Afrofuturism. It combines African culture with science fiction.

She has a series of performances about "The Afronauts." These are space travelers. They are descendants of the Dogon people from West Africa. In her stories, they return to Earth after 10,000 years. They come back to help save the planet.

Through these stories, Turner uses science fiction ideas. She explores Canadian history. She reminds people that Canada also had a history of slavery. For example, in "The Afronautic Research Lab," visitors could see old newspaper ads. These ads were from the 1700s. They showed notices about runaway enslaved people in Canada.

Turner connects these stories to the Dogon people's ancient knowledge. The Dogon had advanced understanding of stars. Turner says her work is like "cavorting with the ghosts." She means that past events still affect the present. Science fiction is a great way to connect with these "ghosts."

Other Art Projects

Camille Turner was an Artist-in-Residence at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. This was from 2012 to 2014. She also had a residency in Windsor, Ontario.

In 2015, she created "Big Up Barton." This project focused on a neighborhood in Hamilton. She set up a space where people could listen to stories. These were memories from local residents. Visitors could also share their own thoughts.

Turner also worked with Camal Pirbhai on a project called Wanted. They created modern photo portraits. These were shown next to old notices about runaway enslaved people. In 2017, parts of this work were displayed on billboards in Toronto.

In 2022, Camille Turner won an Artist Prize. It was at the Toronto Biennial of Art. She won for her video installation called Nave. This artwork explored Canada's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.