Sunanda Mesquita (they/them/hers) born 1985, is a Vienna based, mixed Goan transdisciplinary visual artist and co-founder of Anti*colonial Fantasies and WE DEY x SPACE. (we-dey.in)
Their artistic practice focuses on the possibilities of a radical, utopian, queer, feminist collectivity of BIPoCs and topics of community, solidarity and belonging. As Ayurveda Wellness practitioner they offer bodywork sessions and consultations centering decolonial joy to support individual and collective journeys to wellbeing. (@decolonial_joy)
follow @decolonial_killjoy on instagram
CV
EDUCATION
2014 – 2021 Diploma in Video & Videoinstallation, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
2012 – 2018 Education of the Arts, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
2006 – 2008 Make up Artist | Hairstylist Diploma, Vienna | London
2004 – 2006 Diploma in Fashion Design, Herbstrasse, Vienna
VIDEOGRAPHY
2021: Director of Photography | Dramaturgy | Edit | CC, Fleshbacks by Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński
2021: Director | Camera | Edit | CC, Tracing Belonging (5.55min)
2018: 2nd Camera, WISSEN|MACHEN by Nick Prokesch (AT/ 2018/ 30 min)
2018: Director | Camera | Edit, OOPS OH MY (AT / 2018 /4 min)
2018: Director of Photography | Edit | CC, The Letter by Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński
2017: Director of Photography | Edit | CC, Unearthing. In Conversation by Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński(13min)
2017: Director of Photography, STA! by Pêdra Costa (6min)
DRAMATURG(A)Y
2023: NEW ENDINGS, Stefanie Sourial mit Faris Cuchi Gezahegn, Hyo Lee, Patu, Janine Jembere, Brut Wien
2022: INVASION(EN) 2.22, Hannah Ma, Nora Amin and Sebastian M.Purfürst, Trier
2022: Dance for the Future, Mzamo Nondlwana, in collaboration with sound artist Bassano Bonelli and visual artist İklim Doğan, Brut Wien
2022: City of Diaspora, Stefanie Sourial in collaboration with Faris Cuchi Gezahegn, Hyo Lee, Brut Wien
2021: Fleshbacks by Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński
CURATORIAL PRACTICE
2013 – 2022: Co-founder | curator of WE DEY x SPACE- art and healing space for QTIBPoC contemporary arts, Vienna
2018: “Rememory: Ritual Blackness and Beyond“, solo show by Khaleb Brooks, WE DEY x SPACE
2017: “Fragmented Selves”, solo show by Sophie Utikal, WE DEY x SPACE
2017: “Detoxing Masculinity” solo show by Amoako Boafo, WE DEY x SPACE
2016: “Anticolonial Fantasies” group show with Imayna Caceres, Sophie Utikal & BPoC students & lectures, Friday Exit, Vienna
2016: “WE DEY show”, group show, WUK Projektraum, Vienna
2013: Curatorial Assistant, 1:54- Contemporary African Art Fair, London
2013: „It’s now, it’s there, it’s everywhere“, solo show by Amoako Boafo, Vienna
EXHIBITIONS (selection)
2022: Einstweilen wird es Mittag, Homestories, WHW, Kunsthalle Wien
2020: Self Reflections, WIENWOCHE, Vienna
2019: Dark Energy, feminist organising, working collectively, XHIBIT, Vienna
2018: CLINCH Festival, Solo Exhibition, Kulturzentrum Pavillon, Hannover
2017: Decolonial Borderlands, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
2016: SISTERS, Fluc, Vienna
2016: Anti*colonial Fantasies, Friday Exit, Vienna
2016: WE DEY show, WUK Projektraum, Vienna
2015: Familarities — unexpected queerings, VBKÖ, Vienna
2014: Künstlerhaus Passage, Vienna
2014: Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
2013: Chalewote Streetartfestival Accra, Ghana
COMMISSIONS (selection)
2020 – 22: Development, Video and Stage design for City of Diaspora by Stefanie Sourial with Faris Cuchi Gezagehn and Hyo Lee, BRUT Wien
since 2016: Illustrations for: Homestories by Vina Yun, GLADT, CLINCH Festival, Center of Intersectional Justice Berlin, DEMASK, Radio Organge, Augustin – die erste österreichische Boulevardzeitung, Labor 89. Intersektionale Bewegungsgeschichte*n aus West und Ost
ARTIST TALKS.PANELS.LECTURES.
2022: Desintegrationskurs: Gegen anti-asiatischen Rassismus, Online-Vernetzungs-Workshop, organisiert von Vina Yun und Claudia Unterweger, Depot Wien
2021: QTBIPOC art, activism and strategies for safety during COVID-19. Guest lecture panel with Mengzhu Fu and Prof. Jin Haritaworn for the New Social Movements, Activism and Social Change (Master of Environmental Studies), Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Tkaronto, Canada http://marvellousgrounds.com/blog/illustrating-safety-without-the-state/
2021: Handle with care – City of Diaspora – with Stefanie Sourial, Faris Gezagehn, Hyo Lee, Sushila Mesquita and Janine Jembere, Artist Talk, BRUT Wien
2018: Decolonize Arts, CLINCH Festival, Panel Discussion, Hannover
2018: Anti*colonial Fantasies with Sophie Utikal/Imayna Caceres/Verena Melgerejo Weinandt, Lecture, Kunstuniversität Linz
2018: Anti*colonial Fantasies with Sophie Utikal and Imayna Caceres, Lecture, Universitätsbibliothek Akademie der Bildenden Kuenste, Vienna
2017: Fm4 auf Laut, Radio Interview about BPoC Students and Lectures collective with Jaqueline Ejiji
2017: Homestories, Literaturhaus, Artist Talk, Vienna
2017: I/mages of Tomorrow, Artist Talk, Goldsmith University, London
2017: Anti*colonial Fantasies with Sophie Utikal and Imayna Caceres, Lecture, University of Vienna
2017: Decolonial Borderlands with Sophie Utikal and Imayna Caceres, Lecture, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna
2016: Library of Requests Part II with Belinda Kazeem Kaminski, Imayna Caceres, Sophie Utikal, Artist Talk, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna
2016: Decolonising Arts and Visual Culture Series with Rena Onat, RajuRage, Rajkamal Kahlon, Nathalie Mba Bikoro, Panel Discussion, xartsplitta, Berlin
2016: Anti*colonial Fantasies with Imayna Caceres and Sophie Utikal, Artist Talk, Friday Exit, Vienna
WORKSHOPS
2022: Decolonial Joy, workshop for Rhubaba Gallery and Studios, Edinburgh, UK
2022: Tapping into Decolonial Joy, workshop for BIPoC summit organised by The BIPoC circle + Wir Sind Auch Wien, Frauenreferat Wien
2021: Artistic Strategies of Resistance, Workshop Series for BIPOCs together with Rafaela Siegenthaler, Faris Gezahegn und Shenja Vasanti Kumari Danz, Universität Wien, Akademie der Bildenden Künste Wien, Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, Kunsthalle Wien
2021: Artistic Strategies of Resistance, Workshop for BIPOCs with Rafaela Siegenthaler, as part of Esther Abiona Ojo’s and Huda Takriti’s exhibition Weaving Truths, Untangling Fictions, Kunsthalle Wien
2020: Artistic Strategies of Resistance, Workshop for BIPOC students with Rafaela Siegenthaler, Akademie der Bildenden Künste Wien
2020: Strategies of Resistance and Allyship, Workshop, HochschülerInnenschaft an der Universität Wien
2020: Kunst als Werkzeug gegen Rassismus, Workshop Teil des Trainingskurs für Junge Erwachsene organisiert durch Dokustelle Österreich
2019: Rewriting – The Calling Card Project Workshop with Rafaela Siegenthaler, HochschülerInnenschaft an der Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien (hufak)
2019: BPoC Coalition Building Workshop with Sushila Mesquita, organised by Frauen_Referat der ÖH Uni Wien, WE DEY x SPACE
2018: WE DEY x SPACE – self-organisation of art and community spaces, Workshop with Jaqueline Ejiji, Diversity Arts Culture – Summer School for BPoC artists, Berlin
2018: Unarchiving/Archiving in the Context of Collective Forms of Resistance, Workshop with Raju Rage, New Perspectives on memory(ies), xartsplitta,
2017: I/mages of Tomorrow, Decolonising Illustration Workshop, Goldsmith University, London
2014: Re-writing the Calling Card Project with Rafaela Siegenthaler, University of Vienna, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
2014: Decolonial Pedagogy with Rafaela Siegenthaler, Bundesfachtagung 2014 Globales Lernen, Vienna
FILM FESTIVALS
Diagonale 2018, International Filmfestival Rotterdam, ORF III, Kassel Filmfest, Venice Biennale, Edinburgh- International Film Festival, Dortmund / Köln – Internationales Frauenfilmfestival, Osnabrück – EMAF – European Media Art Festival, Wiesbaden – exground on screen, London PFF, OUTsider Fest, An*ormal Festival, Vancouver – Int. Film Festival
PUBLICATIONS
2021: Untie to Tie. Colonial Fragments in School Contexts, Editorial Direction: Aïcha Diallo / Annika Niemann / Miriam Shabafrouz
2019: Labor 89. Intersektionale Bewegungsgeschichte*n aus West und Ost, Peggy Piesche (Hg.) | Nicola Lauré al-Samarai (Hauptautorin)
2018: Stille Macht. Silence und Dekolonisierung, Emily Ngubia Kessé (Hg.)
2017: Kuratieren als antirassistische Praxis/Curating as anti-racist practice
Ed. by Bayer, Natalie | Kazeem-Kamiński, Belinda | Sternfeld, Nora
2017: Anti*colonial Fantasies, Zaglossus,
Ed. by Imayna Caceres | Sophie Utikal | Sunanda Mesquita
2017: Quix Publication (illustrator)
2017: Black Fly Zine, Sexual Health for People of Color (illustrator)
2016: On Families, a coloring book tracing concepts of families (editor)
PRESS
2022: FM4
2021: Marvellousgrounds
2020: Culture Lime
2018: The Glam Femme
2018: Bildpunkt IG Bildende Kunst
Decolonial Joy 