Zahra Poonawala

Traditionally production and distribution circuits tend to function with a separation between visual art spaces and those linked to music. Zahra Poonawala tries on the contrary to marry the sensations and find a means of expression connected to her dual background as artist and musician. She questions the birth of harmony, this spark that means that her art becomes the object of a spatial experience, with its density, its presence, or its absence. She works on presenting it using means which are invented and complement each other as the works are developed in video (Bouquet Final, 2005), musical performances (Quartet for Solo Cello, 2008), scenography (Nuages Insolubles, 2009), sound installations (Decomposed Orchestra 2007, Le Repos du Crieur Public, 2011) and internet-based audiovisual projects (Public Address System, 2009).
Stéphane Valdenaire
Exhibitions
- LABoral, Centro de Arte, Gijon, Spain March-September 2013
- CAC Vilnius, Lithuania, December 2012
- Nuit Blanche, Bruxelles, Belgium, October 2012
- Panorama, Fresnoy, France 2011 and 2012
- Résidences Croisées, Centre Européen d'Actions Artistiques Contemporaines, September 2011
- Solo Exhibit, Le Repos du Crieur Public, Saint Louis town Hall, France, March 2011
- Sounds Like Art, sound installation in abandonned house, Cesis, Latvia, May 2010
- Regionale 09 Contemporary Art (Basel-CH, Mulhouse-FR, Freibourg-DE), New Media Institution [Plug.In], Basel (CH), Jan 2009
- Mulhouse008 Young Art Biennale, elected representative of the ESAD 2007 promotion
Awards
- New Media Award, Imagina Atlantica, Angoulême, 2012
- Awarded by The European League of Institutes of the Arts to produce video Ode, Prix Europa, Berlin, 2008
- 2008: Grant from the DRAC Alsace, Aide Individuelle à la Création
- 2005: International Media Award for video Bouquet Final, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
- 2005: Young Talent Award, Filmer en Alsace, Strasbourg

Residencies
- Artist in Residence, Horizome, Hautepierre, Strasbourg July- October 2012
- Artist in Residence, Riga, Latvia, organised by partnership between Strasbourg and Riga, April-June 2010
- Artist in Residence at the Parc Saint Léger Contemporary Art Centre (CAC), Pougues-les-Eaux, France, awarded by the FRAC Platform (5 Contemporary Art Regional Funds), October-December 2009
- Artist in Residence at Agence Topo, Montréal, CA on web production of Public Address System, commissioned by curator Sylvie Parent. Support from the CEAAC (Center of European Contemporary Artistic Actions), Strasbourg, and from the French-Quebec Youth Office, July- September 2009
- Creation residency on Video-Concert Nuages Insolubles, scenography and live video improvisation with composer G. Dazzi (IT), percussionnist F. Hauser (CH), electro-acoustic musician B. de Chénerilles (FR) and M.A Bacquet (FR) with video input of R. Cahen (FR); Niederbronn-les-Bains, France, 2009
- Residency with Olivier Maurel, percussionnist, Fées d'Hiver, Crévoux, January 2008