Biography

Divya Mehra’s practice draws from experiences of displacement, cultural conventions, and hybridization, infusing a biting wit in the execution of her projects. Connecting political and religious icons with popular hip-hop culture, Mehra examines cross-cultural appropriations and the parallels between family tension and nationalistic conflict. Her work investigates the construction and misrepresentation of cultural identity while making reference to layered divisions and the disparity and exploitation of power. Her work has been included in a number of exhibitions and screenings across North America and overseas, most notably at Queens Museum and Lincoln Center (NY), BRIC Contemporary (Brooklyn), PLATFORM: centre for photographic + digital arts and Plug In ICA (Winnipeg), ARTSPEAK (Vancouver), The Images Festival and A Space (Toronto), Groupe Intervention Vidèo (Montrèal), The Beijing 798 Biennale (Beijing, China), and Gallery OED (Cochin, India). In 2012, Mehra will create new work for the exhibition, Oh Canada commissioned by MASS MoCA. Recent articles, interviews, and reviews featuring her work have appeared in print and online through: BlackFlash, C Magazine, AGYU Studio Blog, The National Post, The Ottawa Citizen, The Winnipeg Free Press, Uptown Magazine, Time Out Beijing, and CBC Artspots. With an MFA from Columbia University in New York, and a BFA Honours from the University of Manitoba School of Art, Mehra currently divides her time between Winnipeg and New York.