14:00 - Maya Ben David: Origin Story

“MBD: Origin Story” is a multimedia reflection on Ben David's first character Air Canada Gal. Air Canada Gal, an anthropomorphized airplane who turns out to be the alter ego of the artist herself. The video explores themes of cosplay, embodiment, and anthropomorphism through performance and fan fiction. Ben David reconsiders Air Canada Gal — this time hyperaware of what it means to animate, imitate, and manipulate a personified and sexualized machine. Positioned within an uncanny Spider-Man universe, Air Canada Gal is subject to the tropes of the comic book heroine, while battling Spider-Man. The viewer is left wondering whether the shape-shifting anthropomorphic airplane can fully destroy her oppressor Spider-Man, or by choosing violence she more thoroughly internalizes his sensibility.

Biography:

Maya Ben David (MBD) is a Toronto based video performance Jewish-Iranian Anthro Plane. Ben David creates worlds and characters that explore concepts such as anthropomorphism, cosplay and performative personas. Ben David's characters origin stories are established via video performance and are performed on a ongoing basis through her online presence. Her characters inhabit alternate universes but also interact with each other and already established nostalgic universes such as Pokemon and Spider-Man. In addition to this, Ben David is also a character know as "MBD" who feuds with the many manifestations of herself and the art world.