Artist Bio

Shyra DeSouza is an interdisciplinary artist, originally from Calgary, and currently based in Berlin. She attended the Sculpture department at the Alberta College of Art & Design in Calgary, Canada, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with distinction in 2006. 

Her primary artistic interests lie in unravelling and reorganising the perceptions that characterise contemporary lived experience, utilising strategies and concepts such as: mimetic exacerbation, memento mori, pareidolia, ennui, and implication of the viewer to drive the development of her work. DeSouza’s practice encompasses a broad set of skills and materials, typically resulting in various forms of film, installation, and sculpture. 

​She has screened/exhibited her work across Canada, in the United States, and in Europe.  As well as maintaining an artistic studio practice, she has undertaken several volunteer administration and board roles within the Calgary arts community, and has been awarded a number of grants and residencies.

Education & Residencies
2016     
Artist in Residence, Picture Berlin hybrid Residency/Art Academy, Berlin, Germany. (with presenting artists such as Simon Faithfull, and Eduardo Mattos, and mentor curators such as Tina Sauerländer and Matthew Burbidge.)
2014      
Artist in Residence, Re: Making with Peter von Tiesenhausen, Banff Centre, Banff, AB. With visiting artists Mia Feuer, Heather and Ivan
            Morison, and visiting curator Martha Kirszenbaum.
2012      
St[art] Residency, Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, Art Central, Calgary, AB.
2011      
Banff Artist In Residence (BAIR), Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, AB.
2009      
Creative Self-Directed Residency, Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, AB.
2006      
Bachelor of Fine Arts with Distinction, Sculpture, Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary, AB.
2005      
Work practicum – Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB. 


Scholarships/Awards
2016               
First Place Award, Quickdraw Animation Lockdown Competition, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary, AB.
2014               
Banff Centre Scholarship, Banff Centre, Banff, AB.
Gold Remi Award, Worldfest International Film & Video Festival, Houston, TX.
2012               
Canadian Cinema Editors Award (nomination), Toronto, ON.
2011               
Finishing Funds Recipient, Emmedia Gallery and Production Society, Calgary, AB
2009 - 2010    
Production Scholarship Award, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary, AB.
2005               
Jason Lang Scholarship, Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund, Edmonton, AB.
2004               
Jason Lang Scholarship, Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund, Edmonton, AB.
2003               
Jason Lang Scholarship, Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund, Edmonton, AB.


Grants
2016
Art Production Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB.
2014      
Professional Development Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, AB.
2013                
Art Production Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB.
2012               
Calgary 2012 Grassroots Inspired Grants, Calgary 2012, Calgary, AB.
2011                
Visual Arts & New Media Training & Career Development Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB.
Film and Video Production Grant, Canada Council for the Arts (Alberta Creative Development Initiative), Ottawa, ON.
2009                
Film and Video Career Development and Training Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton AB.


Online projects
2020
crossing blue (part of The Blue Light project, curated by Bogdan Cheta), Calgary, Canada.     
Fragilities, Wired Up Thoughts, Instagram project.
2017      
Mermaids and Unicorns, online exhibition curated by: Carlotta Meyer, Benoit Palop and Tina Sauerländer, www.mermaidsandunicorns.net


Selected Solo and 2-Person Exhibitions
2017     
A Paradigm of Fusion, Montréal, arts interculturels, Montreal, QC (2 person exhibition)
2016 
Vestigial Manoeuvers/ Évolution du vestige, Main Gallery, OBORO, Montreal, QC. (new commission). 
Longshadow, Mariani Gallery, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.
2015
Phantom Limb, Campbell River Art Gallery, Campbell River, BC.
Phantom Limb, Alternator Centre, Main Space, Kelowna, BC.
Longshadow, Two Rivers Gallery, The Galleria, Prince George, BC.
Sublime by Proxy, Cabinet Gallery, Halifax, NS.
Phantom Limb, Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, Sudbury, ON.
2014      
Phantom Limb, Okotoks Art Gallery, Okotoks, AB. 
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, The Vault, Gallery of St. Albert, St. Albert, AB.
Longshadow, Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB.  Accompanying text written by Jenna Swift.
Labyrinth of the Eternal Archetype, Visual Arts Alberta Gallery, Edmonton, AB.
2013      
Phantom Limb, ProjEx Room, Latitude53, Edmonton, AB.
2012      
Phantom Limb, The Ledge Gallery, EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts, Calgary, AB.
2011      
Labyrinth of the Eternal Archetype, The New Gallery, Plus15 Project Space, Calgary, AB.
2010      
Façade, POST Exhibit, Art Central, Calgary, AB.
2008      
Arcanum, Patch Project, Truck Contemporary Art, Calgary, AB.
2005      
Ethos and Pathos, Marion Nicoll Gallery Plus15 Window Space, Calgary, AB.


Selected Group Exhibitions
2020
X-ray, Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz, Kabinett, Berlin, Germany.
Blokáda Extrémizmu 2020, sites across Slovakia.
Artrooms Moravany, Kaštieľ Moravany, Moravany nad Váhom, Slovakia.
2017     
Illimerance - a disquieting lounge, Sad Bastards & Lonely Hearts Ball, Elephant Artist Relief fundraiser, #1 Legion, Calgary, AB.
2014      
FOUND: The Art of Re-Use, Touchstones Nelson: Museum of Art and History, Nelson, BC., (alongside Cedric and Nate Bomford and others),
           curated by Rod Taylor.    
2013      
Art Souterrain 2013, Art Souterrain, Montreal, QC.
2012      
Interpose, Sweet City Celebration, BMO Centre-Stampede Park, Calgary, AB.
2011      
Work in Progress, The Other Gallery, The Banff Centre, Banff, AB.
Ecosystems, UAS Satellite Gallery, Calgary, AB.
Interpose, Digital Graffiti Festival, Alys Beach, Panama City Beach, FL.
2010      
Light Proof: A Darkroom Photo Show, Untitled Art Society, Calgary, AB.  Curated by Vicki Chau.
2009      
Red Versus Green, Without Borders VI: Conjunction, University of Maine, Orono, ME.
2008      
Coordinating Team Exhibition, Untitled Art Society, Calgary, AB.


Selected Screenings
2020
Community Diary Screenings, Mount Pleasant Community Art Screen, a project by Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2017          
Animation Lockdown Screening, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary, AB.
2016          
Quickdraw Animation Society Animation Lockdown Screening, CommunityWise Resource Centre, Calgary, AB.
2014  
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Haida Gwaii Film Festival, Queen Charlotte, BC.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Winnipeg Film Group, Cinematheque Presents, Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth; Contemporary
            Women’s Animation, Winnipeg, MB.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Children and Youth, Vancouver, BC.
2013/2014  
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Prairie Tales 15, multiple venues and locations in Alberta and across Canada.
2013           
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival 24, St. Johns, NL.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, 37th Open Air Film Festival Weiterstadt, Weiterstadt, Germany.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Vidéos de Femmes Dans le Parc, Groupe Intervention Video, Montreal, QC.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Lethbridge Alberta Motion Picture Showcase, Lethbridge, AB.
Distraction of a Stationary Nature, Calgary Animated Objects Festival, Calgary, AB. Curated by Lyle Pisio.
2010           
Interpose, Scholarship Screening, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary AB.
2009           
Fooliage!, Sled Island Festival, Calgary Public Library, Calgary, AB.


Artist Talks/Panels/Lectures 
2016     
​Artist Talk, Picture Berlin artist residency presentation, tête, Berlin, Germany
2015      
Artist Talk, Alternator Centre, Main Gallery, Kelowna, BC
Artist Talk, Two Rivers Gallery, Rustadt Galleria, Prince George, BC.
Artist Talk, Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, Sudbury, ON.
2014     
Artist Talk, Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History, Nelson, BC
2013     
Artist Talk, Latitude53, Edmonton, AB.
2012     
Lecturer, UAS Submissions/Lecture, Untitled Art Society, Calgary, AB.
2011       
Visiting Artist and Scholar Lecture Series Artist Talk, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Multi-Tenant Spaces Discussion Panelist, Arts Champions Congress (Calgary Arts Development Authority), Theatre Junction
         GRAND Studio, Calgary, AB.
2010     
Production Scholarship Artist Talk, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary, AB.

​
Other Professional Activities and Initiatives 
2017                 
​Expert Assessment Panel, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB.
2015                 
Project Grants Peer Assessor, Canada Council for the Arts, Visual Arts section, Ottawa, ON.
2012                 
Calgary ArtsVest Program Assessor, Calgary Arts Development, Calgary, AB.
2010 - 2012       
Selection Jury Member, Calgary Animated Objects Society Festival, Calgary, AB.
2010                 
Production Scholarship Award Selection Jury, Quickdraw Animation Society, Calgary, AB.
2009 - 2013     
Founding Board Member, Media and Visual Arts Housing Association of Calgary (MaVA) (Director 2008 - 2009, Treasurer
           2009 - current), Calgary, AB.
2009 - 2012       
Programming Selection Jury, Untitled Art Society, Calgary, AB.
2009                 
Board Development Training Member, Board Development Program, Alberta Tourism, Parks Recreation & Culture,
           Calgary, AB.
2008                 
Board Development Training – Wildrose Foundation, Calgary, AB.
2007 - 2012      
Board Member, Untitled Art Society (Director 2007 - 2009, Vice Chair 2009 - 2010, President 2010 – 2012, Past-President
           2012 - present), Calgary, AB.


Publications 
2013      
Art is Rational, Calgary Arts Plan web site, Calgary Arts Development Authority, Calgary, AB.

​
Representation/Distribution 
2012       
Winnipeg Film Group, Winnipeg, MB. (Distraction of a Stationary Nature, 2012)