Dayna Danger

Bad Girls, 2011

Artist Statement

Bad Girls is inspired by scandalous and intriguing women throughout history. Mycatholic upbringing has impressed onto me the idea of an acceptable woman, what theyact like, what they look like and how they are portrayed. By referencing the renaissancegenre of history painting I create mythological and allegorical images of womenthroughout history, but with a rebellious, sexual twist. These women fascinate mebecause their stories portray them as “bad girls”. These images ask the viewer thequestion “why are these specific women perceived to be ‘bad’, why is a woman owningher own sexuality considered a malfeasance?”

By using allegorical stories and myths, I use archetypal “female” characters throughouthistory to present a new type of history image, one where the central figure isempowered, in control, and blessed by a baroque stream of light. Digital photographyitself informs my work, the idea of truth in the photograph is subverted, through digitalediting, to create an alternative truth, a pluralistic narrative. I reinterpret this genre ofphotography and the characters I portray. Sex, sanity, religion, gender, bondage andwickedness are themes I am exploring.

Dayna Danger is a 2Spirit/Queer, Metis/Saulteaux/Polish visual artist raised in so called Winnipeg, MB. Using photography, sculpture, performance and video, Dayna Danger‘s practice questions the line between empowerment and objectification by claiming space with her larger than life scale work.
Danger’s current use of BDSM and beading leather fetish masks explores the complicated dynamics of sexuality, gender, and power in a consensual and feminist manner. Danger is currently based in Tio’tia:ke.
Danger holds a MFA in Photography from Concordia University. Danger has exhibited her work in Santa Fe, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, Peterborough, North Bay, Vancouver, Edmonton and Banff. Danger currently serves as a board member for the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective (ACC/CCA).