User:Pelton98/Russna Kaur

Russna Kaur (born in 1991, Toronto Ontario) is a multimedia artist who focuses in large scale painting. Her paintings are abstract, and explore personal and cultural identity. She currently lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Early life and Education
Kaur spent much of her time growing up in her mother's Indian bridal shop, where she was surrounded by colourful fabrics, being apart of this environment was highly influential to her art practice, as well as exposing her to South Asian culture. Kaur incorporates colour into her work to describe her cultural identity. Kaur originally began her post secondary education studying Biology, but transitioned into Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, ON) where she graduated, receiving a BA while majoring in Visual Arts. She then continued her studies to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (Vancouver, BC) and graduated with an MFA.

Art
Kaur's work explores cultural narrative and identity, mainly relating to her own Punjabi culture. She utilizes pattern, repetition, and colour to prompt these ideas. She often works across multiple, interlocking surfaces, employing abstract mark making across the surfaces and onto the walls, using different mediums. 

Career
Kaur is currently a Sessional Instructor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Selected Awards
2020 Tanabe Prize for British Columbia emerging painters.

Selected Exhibitions
2019


 * Veil of Tears, TRAPP Projects, Vancouver, BC.
 * She Was There for Awhile... The Fort Gallery, Langley, BC.

2020


 * Leaning Out of Windows, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver, BC.
 * Suddenly Her Lips Sharpened - It Was Splendid, Burrard Arts Foundation, Vancouver, BC