Artist Profile: Opal Mclean, by Danyal Imani

Who are you, and what do you do?

I am an interdisciplinary artist with an emphasis on performance and mixed media. I love creating characters and use my performances as a tool. I allow myself to let go and let my characters shine through the narrative. The characters are inspired from the different sides of my personality.

Was there a formative experience you remember in your development as an artist?

In the beginning I started in film and early on I remember being interested in individual personalities. Studying at the 611 Alexander Studio, I love being surrounded by other student works and the transitory space of ideas and conversation is where I get most of my ideas from.

What themes do you pursue in your artworks?

I like to call myself a selfish artist. Mostly because I work with my own self and identity as a character and use that as a starting point in my performances. I work through the lens of femininity and culture. Exploring different states of human emotions. Previously, my photography was influenced by my commute to the city and my persona as a commuter.

Which artists inspire you today?

Louise Bourgeois. She taught me to let go and dig deeper. To touch the taboo subjects and work from within. Her unapologetic sculptures are some of my favourite artworks.

Was there a memorable response to a particular artwork of yours?

My last performance, “Vessel”, where I wrote my thoughts in the form of questions and placed them inside a pitcher of water until the water in it was overflowing. This work was rooted in my own thoughts about mental health and taking care of that part of yourself. After the performance, I had a couple audience members approach me and say that they connected with my work on a personal level and shared their own stories with me.