Maira Candela

 
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#1 from Made Up Test Series

16 x 20
Wax, Melted Lipstick, Pigment and Resin on Bamboo

Turning the thought of “Makeup as Art” into a literal figure of speech, #1 from Made Up Test Series is the first of many test pieces by Maira Candela that use mediums inspired by makeup products.

Manipulated and applied as makeup would be, these pieces use methods like makeup brushes and mixing techniques that many makeup artists use today in the field.

By utilizing actual makeup to create this encaustic painting, Maira attempts to blur the lines between what mediums are accepted in the art world. Composed of over 871 shades, hundreds of iconic lipstick shades grace this canvas and hold meaning to the makeup journey of the artist. The sentimental meaning of many of these shades is a nod at the ritual and vulnerability behind makeup and our day to day lives.

Often unappreciated, the craft of makeup artistry requires knowledge and calculated decisions at every step. This piece also entertains the common misconception that makeup is as simple as choosing a basic colour and that that does not require any skill- which is simply not true.

 

#2 from Made Up Test Series

24 x 36
Foundation, Acrylic Paint, Various Acrylic Mixing Mediums & Fibres

Did you know that 80% of women face challenges with finding their right foundation shade? Also, when looking through your average beauty magazine, 78% of models are white while 22% are not. Inclusion in beauty is a real issue and while many brands have jumped on the bandwagon to cater to all diversities, the gap still exists.

Finding your shade is also dependant on whether your local beauty store stocks up on a 40 colour range brand. While retailers demand a certain number of foundation shades, an extremely small percentage of these shades are catered towards black, latinx and POC. In research done by the artist, it was concluded that based on the foundations in the market today (in Canada) the average brand has only 25-30% of their foundation selection catered to POC.

#2 from the Made Up Test Series shows the literal ratio of the foundation market today. With majority of the canvas drenched in the lighter foundation shades and only 30% negative space, it is an unavoidable depiction of the lack of inclusion that is part of our current reality.

A Colour Study

11 x 17, 126 pages
Photography Printed on Silk Stock

A collaboration between Photographer, Nilly, Wardrobe Stylist, Tashi Gurmey, and Maira, this print was created with the intention of being a study of various colour stories within all the mediums involved.

Artists explored their medium in red and green monochromatic as well as purple & yellow complimentary colour stories.

The result is an array of inspiring images and a visual reference for new and old artists. Printed as an ode to fashion magazines which were the original reference guides to many.

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Theirs

Length: 5 Minutes
Film, Installation and Sculpture

A visual poem that magnifies the imposed standards of beauty and how people individually navigate this relationship. The film flickers between worlds until they ultimately converge, blurring the lines of what is real and what is internally understood.

"Like in many art forms, different mediums are leveraged to interpret the message behind a piece. Similarly, this exhibit leverages makeup by positioning it at the forefront of every piece helping to depict the message. This collection has really come to life thanks to other artisans and their creative avenues like film, photography and fashion, to name a few. My goal with MADE/UP is to bring together a force of creative individuals with the same intentions. As a result, we've collaborated together to create an experience that embodies our themes of inclusion and makeup as art."