Kay Burns facts for kids

Kay Burns is a talented artist who works in many different ways. She lives and creates art on Fogo Island in Newfoundland.

Burns uses many forms of art, like performance art, audio, video, photography, sculpture, and installations. She also uses locative media, which means art that uses your location, often with GPS or phones. Her art often responds to specific places. She likes to retell local stories, historical events, and tales about the interesting people who live there. Kay Burns blends fact and fiction in her work. She creates new ways of looking at places and events. This makes people think about how we get information and what is considered true.

What Kind of Art Does Kay Burns Make?

Kay Burns is known for her unique and thought-provoking art. She often creates art that interacts with the place it is shown. This is called "site-specific" art. She explores how stories, history, and even quirky local characters shape a place.

Blending Reality and Imagination

A big part of Burns's art is mixing what's real with what's made up. She uses this to make people question things. For example, she might create a fictional event in a real place. This makes you think about how we know what is true. It also makes you wonder about who decides what information is important.

The Flat Earth Society Project

One of Kay Burns's most famous projects involves the Flat Earth Society of Canada. This group used to exist but stopped. Burns brought it back as an art project. She uses a special character named Iris Taylor for this.

Iris Taylor and Her Lectures

As Iris Taylor, Kay Burns gives 'recruitment lectures.' These are like talks to get new members for the Flat Earth Society. She also creates 'flat earth artifacts.' These are objects that look like they belong to a real Flat Earth Society. It's all part of her art performance.

Walking as Art

Kay Burns also leads 'historical' walks as Iris Taylor. These walks are another way she performs and tells stories. She is also a founding member of a group called the Ministry of Walking. This group explores walking as an art form.

Where Has Her Art Been Shown?

Kay Burns's art has been seen all over the world. She has shown her work in many international cities. These include Reykjavík in Iceland, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Her art has also been displayed in New York City and Los Angeles in the United States. In Canada, her work has traveled from Dawson in the Yukon to St. John's in Newfoundland.

Kay Burns's Career Before Fogo Island

Before moving to Newfoundland, Kay Burns had an active career in the art world. She worked as a curator at the Muttart Public Art Gallery in Calgary. A curator is someone who plans and organizes art exhibitions.

Teaching and Writing

Burns also taught art at universities. She taught in the Fine Arts Department at the University of Calgary. She also taught in the Media Art Department at the Alberta College of Art and Design. Even now, she continues to work as a freelance writer. She also takes on curatorial projects. She mentors other artists and works as a visiting teacher for different art groups.