Sylvia Grace Borda is a Canadian artist-urban geographer, working in photography, video, and emergent technologies. Borda has worked as a curator, lecturer, and multimedia framework architect, specializing in content arrangement (GUI) and production."People at the Banff Centre: Sylvia Borda," Banff Centre, accessed 2006, http://www.banffcentre.ca/faculty_faculty_member.aspx?facId=432 Born and raised in Vancouver,"Fall arts preview: Sylvia Grace Borda finds art in farms and sequins," by Robin Laurence, published September 11, 2013, https://www.straight.com/arts/421776/fall-arts-preview-sylvia-grace-borda-finds-art-farms-and-sequins Borda is based in Nanaimo, Canada and Scotland. Her work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally."Sylvia Grace Borda", Helsinki International Artists Program, accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.hiap.fi/artist/sylvia-grace-bordaCheng, Amy Huei-Hua. Ruins and Civilization. Taiwan: Jih-Tung art printing co., Ltd., 2004.
Artistic practice Borda studied anthropology and fine art as an undergraduate at the University of British Columbia (1991–1996) and then a MFA in digital media at the same institution. She studied and graduated with a BFA in photography and video at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (1993–95)."Sylvia Grace Borda," accessed March 18, 2017, https://www.digitalartarchive.at/database/artists/general/artist/borda.html
Borda achieved early recognition for her photographic practice. Her first exhibition was a national, juried photography exhibition entitled Photoperspectives '88, which ran during November 1988 at the Presentation House Gallery in West Vancouver. Elizabeth Godley praised Borda's work as "[leavening] an otherwise deadly serious exhibit with her cheerful view from Grandma's Window."Godley, Elizabeth. "Photoperspectives '88: A national, juried photography exhibition." The Vancouver Sun, November 19, 1988.
More recently, Borda has produced works as a part of Frontiers in Retreat"Frontiers in Retreat:Multidisciplary Approaches to Ecology in Contemporary Art 2013–2018," accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.hiap.fi/project/frontiers-retreat that captures "intimate insights into Finland's agricultural resources and peoples"."Sylvia Grace Borda," Helsinki International Artist Programme, accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.hiap.fi/artist/sylvia-grace-borda This is in line with her interests in "re-addressing public views about specific socio-cultural landscapes and how cultural symbols may be co-opted to form new media platforms","Sylvia Grace Borda," accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.frontiersinretreat.org/artists/sylvia_grace_borda an interest which has generated an array of stereo-works and multi-dimensional tableaux produced in Google Streetview."Aerial Fields," accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.surrey.ca/culture-recreation/13529.aspx The innovative"Sylvia Grace Borda," accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.mantankuvataideviikot.fi/en.php?k=100875 Farm Tableaux won her the 2016 Lumen Prize,"2016 Lumen Winners Announced," accessed March 18, 2017, https://lumenprize.com/newsarticle/2016-lumen-winners-announced and was a product of the "first explorative artworks in Google Street View in partnership with Google Business StreetView photographer, John M Lynch"."Farm Tableaux: Sylvia Grace Borda," accessed March 18, 2017, by John M. Lynch, http://lumenprize.com/artwork/farm-tableaux She has since gone onto pioneer further works in Google Street View creating tableaux featuring kissing couples in Nelson, BC, amateur athletes in 'What are you doing, Richmond?' (2019) to collaborating and producing the first interactive park system for the City of Dundee taken from the perspective of a small park mammal in "Internet of Nature' (2021) For presentation at the UN COP26 Climate Conference, she collaborated with youth and partners to create the world’s first earth community climate observation land artworks that are now supported by Earth Science and Remote Sensing (ESRS) group, ARES Division at Johnson Space Center NASA, and the International Space Station for global community agro-forestry learning and well-being. This project led to a special collaboration and invitation for an agro-forestry artwork to be planted at the National Botanic Gardens in Ethiopia using indigenous flora.
Research and teaching Borda has held teaching positions as Senior Photography Lecturer at University of Salford from January – September 2010,"Dr Sylvia Borda," faculty page, University of Salford, Manchester, accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.seek.salford.ac.uk/profiles/SBORDA.jsp as MA Convenor in Photography and Imaging at Queen's University Belfast,"Picturetext," CELT(NI):The Center for Excellence in the Creating and Performing Arts, accessed March 18, 2017, http://www.qub.ac.uk/cecpa/picturetext.html Associate Professor in Digital Arts at Emily Carr University of the Art and Design and Associate Researcher in New Media at the University of British Columbia."Borda Crossings," by Terri Whitehead for Canadian Architecture, published February 1, 2006, https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/borda-crossings/ From 2009–2016 Borda was an Honorary Research Fellow in Visual Arts at the University of Stirling, Scotland."Sylvia Grace Borda," Archive of Digital Art, accessed March 18, 2017, https://www.digitalartarchive.at/database/artists/general/artist/borda.html
In her academic posts, Borda examined how "cognitive responses evolve over time in relation to a media stimuli" as part of her broader research interests in "examination of popular culture and in the emergence of convergent graphical user interface systems." At the same time, Borda conducted research on "accessibility standards, tools and the plausibility of their facilitation for projects supporting cultural collections". She has participated in research projects on PDA deployment and cultural/visual recognition, examined the Canadian Heritage Information Network's mobile technologies and new wireless (was) enabled catalogue, and was the architect behind EdWeb, an "educational on-line content generation tool, designed to meet England's National Curriculum needs for school children aged 8–13.""New Media Technologies & New Media Learning," Colloquium Series: 2003 – 2004 Series Archive, published February 18, 2004, http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/colloq/0304/04-03-11_e.html
Curatorial work Scripted Exhibition – curated by Borda, 2004 Digital Visions – New media interviews 2004–05 – curated by Borda ESC – Electronic Social Culture, New Media artists in Canada – curated by Borda, Gu Xiong, Sadira Rodrugues, Centre A, Vancouver, BC, 2002
Books and publications Borda, Sylvia Grace, Vancouver Fruit Tree Project & Coast Salish Plant Nursery. (2022). Vancouver Fruit Tree Histories and Communities. Vancouver Fruit Tree Project. Borda, Sylvia Grace., & Strom, Jordan. (Eds.) (2020). Sylvia Grace Borda: Shifting Perspectives. Heritage House Press. Borda, Sylvia Grace (2018) "LOCATING THE CAMERA IN A DIGITAL TIME," photographies, 11:2-3, 177-192, DOI: 10.1080/17540763.2018.1445014
Borda, Sylvia Grace (2006) EK modernism: celebrating Scotland's first New Town
Solo exhibitions Artist in residence Program exhibition Darts Hill Gardens, British Columbia, Canada. Programme curated by Susan Murray (November 1–22, 2021) What are you doing, Richmond? Permanent arts installation for Centre for Active Living, Richmond, BC, Canada Curated by Biliana Velkova, Elisa Yon; City of Richmond Public Art programme Through the Lens , Arbutus Gallery, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Canada Curated by Professor Maria Anna Parolin (January 15 – February 11, 2019) Kissing Project, Oxygen Arts Centre, British Columbia, Canada (June 6 – July 8, 2017). Murals, Serde Arts Centre, Aizpute, Latvia (2017) The Lumsden Biscuit, Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Scotland (2016) Curated by Nuno Sacramento. Revisiting a Holiday in Glenrothes, The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture and Design. (March 28 – May 8, 2015) Produced by the Scottish Civic Trust. Camera Histories, Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, Scotland. (November 22, 2013 – February 2, 2014) Curated by Malcolm Dickson. Aerial Fields, Surrey Urban Screen, British Columbia. (September 8, 2013 – January 6, 2014) Curated by Liane Davison and Alison Rajah. Beyond Sight: Interrogations of a Camera, A&D Gallery, London, UK. (2009–2010) Curated by Karen Downey Cameras and Watercolour sunsets, CSA Space, Vancouver, Canada. Curated by Christopher Brayshaw and Steven Tong."Sylvia Grace Borda: DEVELOPING PROCESSES," published December 8, 2009, https://csaspace.blogspot.ca/2009/12/sylvia-grace-borda-developing-processes.html A Holiday in Glenrothes, Royal Institute of Architect's Scotland Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland (2008). Traveling to Glenrothes, Rothes Hall Galleries, Fife, Scotland (2008) Curated by Andy Neil. EK Modernism, CSA Space, Vancouver, Canada. (2007) Curated by Adam Harrison. EK Modernism: New Town Passages, EKAC Galleries, East Kilbride, Scotland. (2006) New works, East Kilbride Arts Centre, Scotland (2005) Curated by J.Keith Donnelly. Minimalist Portraits, Net Art Launch, SAW Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario (2004) Curated by Jason St Laurent. Every Bus Stop in Surrey, BC, Surrey Art Gallery, Surrey, British Columbia. (2002) Curated by Liane Davison. Capital Cities, Centre A, Vancouver, British Columbia. (2002) Curated by Alice Ming Wai Jim. In Transit, Pocket Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia (1999) Curated by Jeremy Turner. Of Myth and Muse, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, British Columbia, (1996)Moore, Linda. "Artist's works make a fitting double exhibit," Time Out: The Review, August 24, 1996. Curated by Paige Hope-Smith.
Group exhibitions Nauru Climate National Pavilion, 61st Venice Biennale, Italy. Curated by Khaled Ramadan (May 6 - November 22, 2026) Making Space: Photographs of Architecture National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK. Curated by Louise Pearson (October 7, 2023 – March 3, 2024) Crisis Gaia, C3 Complexity Science Center, Circuito Centro Cultural, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico. Curated by Manolo Cocho (December 2023 – February 2024) Earth Photo: People, Place, Nature, Changing Forests in a Time of Climate Change – Shortlisted Winners Curated by Royal Geographical Society, Forestry England, Harris Parker. Venues: Royal Geographical Society Headquarters and Exhibition Hall, London, UK (June 17 – August 26, 2022); The Great Exhibition Road Festival, Royal Geographical Society Pavilion, London, UK (June 18–19, 2022); Fineshade Wood, Top Lodge, Fineshade, Northamptonshire, UK (November 1, 2022 – March 27, 2023) Select contributor to Jennifer and Kevin McCoy’s NFT project, Feral File, CHAIN REACTION Ethereum Platform, New York, USA Curated by Christiane Paul (March 8, 2023) Terra in Transformazione, Magazzino 26, Porto Vecchio, Trieste, Italy, Curated by Maria Campitelli and Manolo Cocho, (September 2–24, 2022) Tree Circle: Performing for Flora, Trees for Life presentation at PERA+FLORA+FAUNA Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Curated and organized by Khaled Ramadan (April 21, 2022) Tree Circle: permanent outdoor earth observation artwork, Gullele National Botanic Gardens of Ethiopia , Curated by Nura Beshir, Women4Climate and Guelle National Botanic Gardens, Addis, Ethiopia (November 2022) Lumen Prize Exhibition: Shortlisted Projects, Barbican Arts Centre, London, UK, Curator Futures Prize: Christiane Paul and Lumen Prize Committee, (October 19, 2022)