Interdisciplinary artist Divyaa Kumar (Fijian-Indian, Pākehā/New Zealand European) works in an array of mediums, according to what the message demands, which so far have included paintings, drawings, large-scale textiles, cooked meals, and literary performances. Primarily, they unpack storytelling mechanics and intergenerational happenings within identities, ancestry and heritage. Kumar’s practise interrogates international and personal archives for images, texts and stories that examine aspects of displacement and diaspora, landscape and place, heritage and ancestry, and metaphysics, as well as bringing a poetic voice to the discourse of text art.
Parallel as a writer, they are a published poet with Starling Magazine, and perform at exhibition openings and literary events. They have penned several essays and reviews on a variety of subjects, published with The Pantograph Punch, PhotoForumNZ, Vernacular, and written editorial work for both public and artist-run galleries.