Valley of the Deer by Jillian McDonald at University of Waterloo Art Gallery

Inspired by the genre conventions of cinema, Brooklyn-based artist Jillian McDonald has been exhibiting her videos internationally for over a decade. Having explored the cinematic tropes of horror movies and zombie films in particular, her recent work has shifted in tone and substance. Cast and filmed on location in Northern Scotland during the artist’s participation in the 2012 Glenfiddich International Artist’s Residency, Valley of the Deer was produced in response to the fertile natural landscape and Scotland’s resonant history. Juxtaposing unnerving images evoking both magic realism and pagan rituals augmented by a haunting soundtrack, this multi-channel video with its accompanying wall drawings, conjures an uncanny hallucinatory experience.

Jillian McDonald's Valley of the Deer (2013) is on display in Gallery One + Two until December 19.