Robin Styba has practiced the arts in many mediums. With a passion for movement, early on she started figure skating and dance. The language of the body to communicate without words has always been a predominate component that lead her into photography.
The history of photography, based on documentation edited through the creator combined with the cameras democratic portrait is a key element within her work. Styba uses the camera as a paintbrush to build a colourful palette rather than for reproduction. The created tableaux often displayed in a series of narrative film stills using self during the performance piece and the camera to capture the story. Relaying on the form of the body to communicate a universal dialogue combined with objects or symbols to create memory.

With the camera’s ability to document and all variables to connect to find the winter darkness, unveil two most exquisite swans, “Patient Destination”. The mythology and symbolism is long and the connection to the dance on the darkness embraced all Styba’s language. The removal of colour to capture the blackness of the water allows the viewer to become apart of the dance, to embrace the struggle with a sense of calm and knowing. Life in all its creations begins to show distress in the most beautiful form.

Artistically pursuing more photo-based arts, she is finding rhythm and timing with film and has created several short films on video and super * with curiosity to build multimedia creations.

In 1999, Robin graduated from Ontario College of Art and Design in Photography and completed her BFA in 2006. Her work has been shown throughout her schooling and has continued with work, which has been published in Lola, Canadian Art, The Globe and Mail, as well as the CBC. Robin has had shows in Toronto at Propeller Gallery, Simcoe Gallery, David Scott Gallery, I-Land Gallery, as well as other venues. She is also shown at Period Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska, Texas Tech University, Texas and Flat File Gallery, Chicago, IL. Robin has also shown at Diwan in Cadiz, Spain.

Being part of the arts community, she has enjoyed Toronto’s endeavors for photography with Contact for the first five years, as well as arts week where “Patient Destination” was displayed. Robin enjoys the world of design and participated with a design firm to create “Message in a bottle” which was short-listed and will be on display at the Miniart salon in Milan in May 2004.

Website: Photo based art
Contact email: robin@robinstyba.com