Venus Fest 2024 Visual Artist
Pixel Heller
September 27 + 28
It’s OK* studios
Pixel Heller is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Toronto, Canada. She delves into various mediums including painting, photography, performance, and textiles. Her creative journey is deeply influenced by her identity as a woman of Afro-Caribbean descent. Pixel explores themes of Black identity, carnival masquerade, cultural fluidity, and the preservation of cultures. She graduated from OCAD University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cross-Disciplinary Studies with a specialization in Life Studies.
Pixel’s masks are inspired by the vibrant and colourful traditions of Caribbean masquerade. The work is a celebration of identity, culture and Afrocentric aesthetics. Pixel aims to honour and preserve the traditions of her ancestors while reimagining them within a modern context. Her work is a testament to the enduring strength and beauty of Black culture, inviting viewers to connect with the profound legacy of the Afro-Caribbean community. The masks become more than a symbol; they are protectors, embodying the spirits. Through the lens of masquerade, her work becomes a representation of black resilience and power.
Pixel has exhibited at Gallery 44, Meridian Arts Center, Yonge and Dundas Square, Gallery 1313 and internationally at the Black Brazil Art Biennial. She has artwork in The Wedge Collection and won the OCAD U Medal for Cross-Disciplinary Art. She has done performances at Artist Project, BMO Field and the Waterloo Region Museum. Pixel was a part of Vibe Arts NExT: Cohort 5.0 and now is an artist in residence at the Living Arts Center.
Pixel’s masks are inspired by the vibrant and colourful traditions of Caribbean masquerade. The work is a celebration of identity, culture and Afrocentric aesthetics. Pixel aims to honour and preserve the traditions of her ancestors while reimagining them within a modern context. Her work is a testament to the enduring strength and beauty of Black culture, inviting viewers to connect with the profound legacy of the Afro-Caribbean community. The masks become more than a symbol; they are protectors, embodying the spirits. Through the lens of masquerade, her work becomes a representation of black resilience and power.
Pixel has exhibited at Gallery 44, Meridian Arts Center, Yonge and Dundas Square, Gallery 1313 and internationally at the Black Brazil Art Biennial. She has artwork in The Wedge Collection and won the OCAD U Medal for Cross-Disciplinary Art. She has done performances at Artist Project, BMO Field and the Waterloo Region Museum. Pixel was a part of Vibe Arts NExT: Cohort 5.0 and now is an artist in residence at the Living Arts Center.
![VENUS FEST]()
is a Tkaronto/Toronto not-for-profit music festival, mentorship program, and concert series.
Website and Brand Identity by Natasha Whyte-Gray, 2024.