Ciara Turnbull is an emerging contemporary artist based in Sydney, Australia. In 2019 she completed her BFA (Hons) at the University of New South Wales. Ciara’s work looks at the complicated relationship between self and identity and its ever changing nature. With today’s obsession with curating oneself in order to be consumed by others, it’s harder than ever to truly understand who we are. One’s self-perceived identity is often vastly different than how they’re perceived by others, and Ciara aims to bridge this gap in her work. Her portraits are snapshots of people in a moment of time, free of any constraints, in motion and unconfined. She often experiments with the borders, forms and colours of the face, letting them fit together like a puzzle. Loose, quick brushstrokes help her to convey the tumultuous nature of the ‘self’, and how it can never truly be altogether captured.

Ciara has exhibited in both Australia and Canada, as well as been a finalist for multiple painting awards. Her primary mediums are painting, drawing and collage.

“I like to create art that can be personal but also universal. Identity is fleeting, the idea of the self is hard to grasp, and everyone has differing views on who they are. These ideas are always in flux and that’s what I try my best to reflect in my art.” - Ciara Turnbull