Eva Birhanu

Eva Birhanu, Portals to Our Liberated Futures, Kozuke Paper (44g), ink, gold thread

Eva Birhanu, Portals to Our Liberated Futures, Kozuke Paper (44g), ink, gold powder

Eva Birhanu, Portals to Our Liberated Futures, Textile - Handwoven cotton, gold ink, hair, cowrie shells

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Bio/Statement

Eva Birhanu is an interdisciplinary artist and emerging curator working in Mohkinstis (Calgary, Alberta) on Treaty 7 Territory. Born in Canada to immigrant parents from Denmark and Ethiopia, she focuses on identity and biraciality in her work. eva’s practice involves mediums of fibre and sculpture, auto-ethnographically exploring exoticism, objectification and more recently ally performativity. In her practice, eva often incorporates iconography of her own racial identity as a way to portray micro aggressions felt by biracial and Black women.

Eva’s emerging curatorial practice stems from wanting to reflect the community where she lives, in gallery spaces, focusing on the representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. eva recently graduated with distinction from Alberta University of the Arts with a BFA in Fibre. She is currently the Curatorial Resident at Stride Gallery, exploring her emerging curatorial practice.

CV

EDUCATION

Alberta University of the Arts
Craft and Emerging Media – Fibre BFA / 2020
2021 Rosza Admin Fundamentals Training (RAFT)

Experience

Stride Gallery
Curatorial Resident / October 2020 - Ongoing
Illingworth Kerr Gallery
Gallery Attendant / September 2019 – April 2020
Poly + Esther Gallery Wall
Coordinator and organizer / September 2019 – April 2020

Solo Exhibitions

2020 you stare, i stare The New Gallery, Calgary, AB, CA
2020 look – don’t touch Marion Nicoll Gallery LRT Space, Calgary, AB, CA
2019 Weaving Samples Poly+Esther Wall AUArts, Calgary, AB, CA

Two People and Group Exhibitions

UPCOMING - 2022 (TBA) SAAG, Lethbridge, AB, CAN
2021 - Conversation Maytens Projects, Toronto, ON, CAN
2021 - 2024 Never Ending Poetry TREX Region 4 (Southeast), Alberta, CAN
2021 - Threading Black: Eva Birhanu and Simone Saunders on Connecting Race, Roots, and Identity
Alberta Craft Council Calgary Gallery, Calgary, AB, CAN
2021 - Threading Black: Eva Birhanu and Simone Saunders on Connecting Race, Roots, and
Identity Alberta Craft Council Discovery Gallery, Edmonton, AB, CAN
2019 - Odds @ Ends Group Exhibition, CSpace, Calgary, AB, CAN
2019 - The Light Effect Group Exhibition, I Love You Coffeeshop, Calgary, AB, CAN
2019 - April Off Beat Figure Drawing Session show Firefly Group Exhibition, Calgary, AB, CAN
2019-2018 - Fibre Fortnight Group Exhibition, AUArts, Calgary, AB, CAN
2018 - Intertwined Group Exhibition, ATB Financial Arts and Culture Branch, Calgary, AB, CAN

Curatorial Projects

UPCOMING - 2021 - 2022 (TBA) Farihah Aliyah Shah, Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB, CAN
2021 - Ongoing The Prairie Crocus, Stride Gallery Window Space, co-curated by Dan Cardinal McCartney and eva birhanu, Calgary, AB, CAN
2021 - Shroud, Crown, Grey Area, Generations co-curated by Dan Cardinal McCartney and eva birhanu, in partnership with ICAI, Group Exhibition, Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB, CAN

Talks

2021 - Canadian Women in Craft: A Conversation, Alberta Craft Council.
2021 - Curatorial Practices of eva birhanu and Becca Taylor: An Artist Panel, Marion Nicoll Gallery and TREX Southwest.
2021 - Opening of Threading Black: Eva Birhanu and Simone Saunders on Connecting Race, Roots, and Identity, Alberta Craft Council.
2020 - Conversation with Eva Birhanu and Khadijah Morley, The New Gallery.

Residencies

CAAF Residency
2021 NVRLND, Calgary, AB, CAN

Grants

2021 - IBPOC Arts Leaders Residency Grant
Jury
2021 - Canada Council for the Arts Explore and Create

Awards and Acknowledgements

2020 - Fibre Major Innovative Development Award
2020 - BMO 1st Art Competition Nominee
2019 - Louise McKinney Scholarship
President’s Honour Roll
Winter 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018, Winter 2017
2018, 2017 Jason Lang Scholarship

Related Experience

UPCOMING - 2021 Black Portraitures: Toronto, Absent/ed Presence, Studio Visits
2020 - Tatting Workshop Facilitator

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