Oz aka B.G-Osborne/ Beck Gilmer-Osborne(born 1991) is a queer, bigender, autistic, Transmedia artist, and settler of Scottish and British descent who was raised in rural Ontario, and currently lives in Newfoundland. Their practice deploys photography, video, installation, print media, and performance, questions of embodiment, and using their familial archives as a way to unpack and better understand their neurodivergence, mental illnesses and connect/communicate with people.

Early life and education

B.G-Osborne grew up in rural Ontario, on treaty 20 territory. They graduated from

NSCAD NSCAD University, also known as the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), is a public art university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university is a co-educational institution that offers bachelor's and master's degrees. The unive ...

in 2014 with a BFA in

Intermedia Intermedia is an art theory term coined in the mid-1960s by Fluxus artist Dick Higgins to describe the strategies of interdisciplinarity that occur within artworks existing between artistic genres. It was also used by John Brockman to refer to ...

. In 2018 they undertook a Masters of Information Studies in the Archival Studies program at

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

''A Thousand Cuts''

''A Thousand Cuts'' is their award-winning three-channel video installation which weaves together scenes from 48 films, 34 television series, and a music video, in which cisgender actors play transgender characters. The title is a reference to the phrase "

death by a thousand cuts ''Lingchi'' ( IPA: , ), usually translated "slow slicing" or "death by a thousand cuts", was a form of torture and execution used in China from roughly 900 until it was banned in 1905. It was also used in Vietnam and Korea. In this form of ex ...

" to allude to the video "

cut Cut or CUT may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** ...

" and the way popular culture media has misrepresented trans people, contributing to anti-trans violence. The work was publicly censored in 2018 by Arts Common while on view in The New Gallery’s +15 Window on the basis that folks had complained about swearing and nudity. The artist wrote an open letter to the offended viewers and despite attempts by The New Gallery to challenge the decision, find a compromise solution, and foster dialogue, ultimately the work was removed. The controversy brought significant attention to the work which subsequently went on to be screened in numerous other galleries.

Awards

In 2019 B. G-Osborne was selected by BlackFlash Magazine as the annual Optic Nerve Image Contest winner.

References

{{Reflist Canadian LGBTQ artists Canadian photographers Canadian video artists Living people 1991 births 21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people