The Thunder Bay Art Gallery

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is pleased to announce the appointment of Nadia Kurd as the Gallery’s new Curator who takes up her role on August 9, 2010.Ms. Kurd earned a BFA in art from the University of Ottawa, in 2002, and an MA in art history from York University, in 2005. In addition, she will soon be receiving her PhD in art history from McGill University, in Montreal, with a focus on contemporary Islamic architecture.

Ms. Kurd’s academic and professional interests lie in “issues related to identity, architecture and politics within contemporary art.” Her academic focus on Islamic art and architecture serves as a platform for her interrogation of cultural identities, historical knowledge, and narratives in Canadian culture, as these issues impact particular marginalized communities and their artists. Writing about late nineteenth and early twentieth century exhibition practices, Ms. Kurd has examined the modes
by which such practices both reflected and reinforced European colonial aspirations. It is this awareness that Ms. Kurd expects to bring to her endeavors in our community.

Between 2005 and 2007, Ms. Kurd served as the Programming Coordinator for the South Asian Visual Arts Collective in Toronto, an artist-run, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development and
presentation of art by contemporary artists of South Asian origin. In this capacity, Ms. Kurd conducted research and then solicited and selected themes, artists, and collaborators for the Collective’s
programming. Because the Collective does not operate its own exhibition space, Ms. Kurd’s role required her to select venues, as well as schedule exhibitions for the artists with whom she worked. Her responsibilities for the Collective also included writing essays and assisting with lectures and programs.

Given her experience and background, Ms. Kurd will be a valuable asset for the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. We heartily welcome Ms. Kurd both to our institution and to our community. 

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