Photography

After Venus Of Urbino by Titian

Aryana Borders-Pendakur

Exhibition

See it On Campus: Level 1

Visitor Info

Aryana Borders-Pendakur

After Venus Of Urbino by Titian, 2025

Inkjet Print

23″ x 26″

After Venus Of Urbino by Titian is a photographic work based on the famous painting “Venus of Urbino” by Titian (1534).

In playfully re-staging this classical painting the artist has kept many of the main elements from the original painting such as key objects, colour schemes and positioning of the model. Arranging the subject picturesquely and dramatically with the use of modern everyday objects to change up the narrative by taking a more contemporary approach to create the artist’s own photographic interpretation of this historical painting. This image pays homage to classical forms of representation. The re-staging of this painting shifts context and meaning as well as modernizing the female historical figure from the painting. Shifting the gaze and body language of the subject from one that is passive to one that is more active and direct giving the woman in the photographic rendition more agency. This allows the woman to be perceived as a subject rather than an object as she was in the historical painting.

Aryana Borders-Pendakur

Aryana Borders-Pendakur is an Indo-Canadian artist whose practice mainly incorporates digital photography and makeup artistry. Her work engages the traditions of staged photography and portraiture, some of which tell stories to investigate unattainable beauty standards that dominate society. Her goal in re-staging historic paintings and other familiar scenes is to compel the viewer to experience surprise and spur curiosity when viewing the altered iconic scenes. Borders-Pendakur studied at Blanche MacDonald right out of high school, before coming to Emily Carr, and completed their Freelance Makeup Artistry program. She utilizes makeup in her photography practice creating characters and staging scenes that explore fantasy, femininity, beauty and history. In addition to photographic media, she incorporates painting in her practice, working mainly with acrylic paint to create scenes derived from traditional fairy tales.