With a professional mascot costume of herself, Baker travels across North America making public appearances as Cindy Baker. The cuddly and approachable mascot costume both amplifies and disguises the characteristics of the person inside and encourages a new kind of mediated interaction between artist and audience. In this project, Baker investigates the way we present public versions of ourselves and the feelings of being sheltered yet vulnerable; plain yet larger-than-life; on display, yet invisible. Watch for Baker’s appearances at events throughout the M:ST 4 Festival. (2008)


Cindy Baker is an interdisciplinary and performance artist whose practice is influenced by gender culture, queer theory, fat activism, and art theory. With a background of working, volunteering, and sitting on the board for several artist-run centers in Western Canada, she has a particular interest in the function of artist-run centers as a breeding ground for deviation. She has exhibited and performed across Canada, and recently made an appearance at the Soap Factory in Minneapolis as part of Artery 24, a 24-hour performance festival. www.populust.ca/cinde