Gurpreet Sehra is a multidisciplinary artist who works in traditional and nontraditional media: painting, printmaking and video. In her work, she is interested in exploring conceptions of gender, as related to Sikh-Punjabi diasporic communities.

WORK AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

2023                     Juror,  Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg

2022                     Panelist,  Film as Anti-Racist Practice, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2018-present    Curator, Punjabi Film Series, Cinematheque, Winnipeg

2018-present   Member, Citing, Curating and Collecting Research Cluster, Winnipeg

2016-present    Member, Public Art Committee, Winnipeg Arts Council, Winnipeg

2020-2021         Board Member, Plug In ICA, Winnipeg

2020                     Juror,  Share – Artists in Community, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg

2020                     Juror, Individual Artist Grant Program, Winnipeg Arts Council, Winnipeg

2016-2020         Chair of Governance Committee, Board Member, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg

2019                     Participant, The Dinner Parties, A project by Lisa Wood, Winnipeg

2019                     First Friday Lecture, MAWA, Winnipeg

2019                     Moderator, Imaginative Spaces: a public discussion, Ace Art Inc, Winnipeg

2018-2019         Mentor, Foundation Mentorship Program, MAWA, Winnipeg

2015-2018        Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee, Board Member, MAWA, Winnipeg

2017                    Juror and Award Selection, Nuit Blanche, Winnipeg

2017                    Workshop Facilitator, Textiles Workshop, Art City, Winnipeg

2015-2017        Art Instructor, NorWest Community Food Co-op, Winnipeg

2016                    Theory and Beer: How does art change spaces and places, MAWA, Winnipeg

2015                    Workshop Facilitator, ‘Street Textiles’, Art City, Winnipeg

2014                    Presenter/Panelist Sikholars Conference, Material Histories, Princeton University, Princeton

2014                    Transart Institute Residency, Uferstudios, Berlin

2014                    Summer Institute Residency, Plug In ICA, Winnipeg                       

2014                    Presenter/Panelist, Sikholars Conference, Stanford University, Stanford

2011-2013        Administrative Assistant, MAWA, Winnipeg

2013                    Transart Institute Residency, Supermarkt, Berlin

2013                    Juror, Mosaic Women’s Film Project, Winnipeg Film Group, Winnipeg

2012-2013        Sessional Instructor-Art Now, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2013                    Juror/Panelist, Timeraiser, Winnipeg

2012                    Presenter/Panelist, Our Journeys Conference, Sikh Feminist Research Institute, U. of British Columbia

2012                    Installation Assistant, My Winnipeg: There’s No Place Like Home, Plug In ICA, Winnipeg

2012                    Workshop Participant, Inflatable Robotics Arts, Chico MacMurtrie, U. of Manitoba

2012                    Organizer, Artist Talk: Artist-Run Centres, U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2012                    Presenter/Panelist, Sikholars Conference, State U. of California, San Francisco

2012                    Master Class, Workshop with Huma Mulji, MAWA, Winnipeg

2011                     Curator, International Film Series, South Asian Studies Forum, U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2011                    Speaker/Conference Organizer: Perspective on South Asia, South Asian Studies Forum, U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2011                    Archivist, Intermedia International, Winnipeg

2011                    Instructor, Drawing Workshop, Community Arts Ontario, Toronto

2011                    Sessional Instructor- Drawing 1, U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2010-2011       Teaching Assistant- Painting 1, U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

2010                    Archival/Administrative Consultant, South Asian Visual Arts Centre, Toronto

2010                    Installation Attendant, Luminato Festival of the Arts & Creativity, Toronto

2009                    Community Outreach Coordinator, Climate Action Network, Toronto

2009                    Community Art Mentorship, Sikh Activist Network, Toronto

2009                    Art and Art History Program Archivist, Sheridan College, Oakville

2009                    Digital Exhibition Archivist, Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga

2009                    Art Instructor, Blackwood Gallery Running with Scissors Art Camp, Mississauga

2009                    Art Instructor, Reidmount School, Mississauga                                   

2007-2009        Gallery Attendant, Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga

2005-2008        Teaching Assistant- Painting 1, Sheridan College, Oakville

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

2019                     Peripheral Review, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver

2018                     womenofcolour@soagallery, School of Art Gallery, Winnipeg

2018                     Hip Hop Boys, window 38, Winnipeg              

2017                     Snow Queen, Study: Untitled Study, a project initiated by Connie Chappel, Winnipeg

2016                    Shorts, screening of ‘Following’, Platform Gallery, Cinematheque, Winnipeg

2014                    Intermezzo, Mila Kunstgalerie, Berlin

2014                    Komagata Maru, Performance Works Theatre, Vancouver

2014                    Library, Library Gallery, Winnipeg

2013                    Sketchbook Project, Brooklyn Art Gallery, Brooklyn, New York

2013                    Under New Management, ODD Gallery, Dawson City

2013                    MUBI, screening of ‘King Kong’, mubi.com

2013                    Images Festival, screening of ‘King Kong’, Toronto

2012                    Trip the Light Fantastic, Zsa Zsa West, Winnipeg

2012               In Flux, School of Art Gallery, Winnipeg

2012                   Nouvelle ‘Peg II, Gurevich Fine Art, Winnipeg

2012               IT’S A SMALL, SMALL WORLD, Family Business Gallery, New York

2011                    much was decided before you were born … but not everything, Gallery One One One, Winnipeg

2011                    CAFEX: Current Affairs Exchange, University of Toronto, Toronto

2011                    Hot Time in the City, Art Barn, Winnipeg

2010                    White Night, O’Connor Gallery, Toronto

2010                    50 to 500, Urban Shaman Gallery, Winnipeg

2010                    When Lions Roar II, Sikh Activist Network, Toronto

2010                     Art School Dismissed: Teacher’s Pet, The Shaw Street School, Toronto

2010                    She is Honour (Solo Show), Punjabi Daily Office, Mississauga

2009                    Open Mic Night, Punjabi Community Health Services, Mississauga

2009                     Remember ’84, York University, Toronto

2009                     One Panth, Chandni Hall, Brampton

2009                    A Journey to the Self and Back, Toronto East General Hospital, Toronto       

2009                    When Lions Roar, Sikh Activist Network, Toronto

2009                    As Much As Possible, Minnow and Bass Gallery, Toronto

2009-2010        Chancellor’s Exhibition, University of Toronto Chancellor’s Office, Toronto

2009                    Both/And: What is Beyond Multiculturalism?, University of Toronto Art Centre, Toronto

2009                    Didactic, Blackwood Gallery, Mississauga

2009                    This That and The Other, Erindale Theatre, Mississauga

2008                    Movement (Juried Show), The Production House, Toronto

2008                    Naked Egg, Erindale Theatre, Mississauga

2007                    Family, Sheridan Elderly Care and Research Facility, Oakville

2006                    1st and 2nd Year Show, Sheridan Gallery, Oakville

EXHIBITION CATALOGUES AND PUBLICATIONS:

2018                     Unexpected Art: 7 Pieces of Pubic Art, cbc.ca, article on Close Commons public art

2018                     Art at Adsum Park, Winnipeg Free Press, article on Close Commons public art

2017                    EXPLORE Winnipeg’s Public Art, Winnipeg Arts Council, images and descriptions

2017                    Also As Well Too, artist book, photography piece created for this publication

2017                    Canada 150 Project, Wolseley Leaf paper, front page article and photo

2015                    Indo-Canadian Telegram, article and images on Close Commons public art

2015                    Sun Media: All about Art, sunmedia.ca article and image

2015                    Public Art Winnipeg, Winnipeg Arts Council, images and description

2013                    First Four (catalogue for In Flux), School of Art Gallery (U. of Manitoba)

2012                    A Conference Like No Other, sikhchic.com article on presentation, U. of British Columbia

2012                    Reflections on Sikholars, americanturban.com article on presentation, State U. of California

2011                    Gradzette, article and image reproduction

2011                    Feminist and Queer (FAQ) Review V.3, publication of 3 images

2010                     South Asian Focus, article on She is Honour

2010                     Desi News Magazine, article on She is Honour                                                      

2010                     Punjabi Daily Newspaper, review and articles on She is Honour    

2006, 2009        Buff (catalogue), painting reproductions by Sheridan College

2008                    Movement (catalogue), image reproduction/bio by Production House

PUBLIC PROJECTS:

2017                    Canada 150 Mural, West Broadway Youth Outreach/Vibe Arts, Winnipeg/Toronto

2015-2017       WITH ART Community Public Art Project – Social Seed, NorWest Community Food Co-op, Winnipeg Arts Council, Winnipeg

2014-2015         Adsum Park Public Art Project – Close Commons, Winnipeg Arts Council, Winnipeg

2009-2011       unSAID Project, Peel Region, Toronto

2009                   Project: Urban Canvas, Amnesty International, Toronto               

2009                   Toronto General Hospital Mural Project 2, Toronto

2007                   Toronto General Hospital Mural Project 1, Toronto

2005                   Toronto Food Bank Project, Toronto

AWARDS:

2018                     National Recognition to the Best in Public Art Projects Annually (for Social Seed), Americans for the Arts

2017                     Year in Review Recognition (for Social Seed), Creative City Network                                            

2015                     Transart Institute Scholarship, Transart Institute

2014                   Princeton Conference Scholarship, Princeton University

2014                   Professional Development Grant, Winnipeg Arts Council

2013                   Transart Institute Residency Scholarship, Transart Institute

2012                   Creation/Production Grant in the Visual Arts C, Manitoba Arts Council

2012                   Professional Development Grant, Winnipeg Arts Council

2012                   Marvin and Irma Penn Scholarship in Fine Arts, U. of Manitoba

2012                   James B. Hartman Scholarship in Fine Arts U. of Manitoba

2012                   University of Manitoba Travel Award, U. of Manitoba

2011                    Dr. Annie Smith Graduate Scholarship, Sheridan College

2009                   Faculty Painting Award, Sheridan College

2009                   Visual Discourse Award, Oakville Galleries

2009                   A.G.P. Visual Art Award, Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives

2009                   Best Overall Award, University of Toronto Art Centre

2008                   Mural Award; Wolfitt’s Award, Sheridan College                

2006                   Stevenson and Son Painting Award, Sheridan College

EDUCATION: