Sandra Vida’s (Canada) work often embodies an activist impulse, and is based in social issues, especially related to the changing role of women within society. She was born in Calgary and studied English literature as well as Art and Psychology at the University of Calgary. Her work over the past three decades has included photo-based collage, performance, film, video and installation that investigate a range of issues from the perspective of how the personal and political are intertwined.

Vida was an early pioneer in the use of the colour photocopier and continues to explore digital collage in combination with video. A book about her art career was recently produced by EMMEDIA titled Sandra Vida: vision and voice. She returned to film animation with her most recent work, Elegy that combines live video with a variety of animation techniques in 2010.

In addition to her art practice, Vida is known for her dedication to other artists through Calgary’s artist-run centres and as an advocate for the arts regionally and nationally. As coordinator of The New Gallery for over a decade, and as an independent curator, she has facilitated a wide variety of creative projects. She has been nominated twice for a Governor-General’s visual and media arts award, received the Epcor Established Arts award at the Mayor’s Luncheon for Business and the Arts, and was one of three finalists for Alberta’s first Marion Nicoll Visual Art award.

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