BIO:
Deon Mars is a visual artist and photographer whose work centers storytelling through powerful and intimate imagery. With a creative foundation rooted in art administration, retail styling, and visual merchandising, Mars brings a strong sense of composition and narrative into her photographic practice.
As a Black queer artist, Mars focuses on editorial and portrait photography that celebrates the individuality and lived experiences of Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Her work is grounded in authenticity, capturing moments that reflect joy, resilience, strength, and vulnerability. Since beginning her photography journey in 2018, Mars has developed a distinctive voice shaped by both technical experience as a photography assistant and years of freelance practice.
Mars’ work has been exhibited internationally, including a feature at Monad Gallery in Brooklyn for Black History Month 2026, with a forthcoming solo exhibition scheduled for May 2026. Beyond photography, she is also a multidisciplinary artist and has presented poetic artwork through Pride Toronto, exploring themes of queerness, Blackness, and love. She has also contributed as an Artist Steward with SKETCH on Queering Garden, an earth-art installation created alongside Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit artists.
In addition to her artistic practice, Mars has worked as Visual Art Director with Peace Camp Theatre, where she developed a youth arts curriculum inspired by bell hooks’ All About Love, guiding participants through collaborative art-making and installation work.
At the heart of Mars’ practice is a deep commitment to Black love in all its forms: romantic, familial, communal, and beyond. Her work seeks to expand narratives, promote self-love and acceptance, and honor the full spectrum of Black identity with care, intention, and unapologetic authenticity.