Wanda Koop is a visual language researcher. The inspiration for Koop’s work comes from lived experience and a keen observation of the world. Koop’s focused process begins with the making of videos, photographs and numerous drawings on post-it notes. These components are merged into larger bodies of work that then transition into multidisciplinary installations. References to popular culture, the natural world, visual media, robotics and nanotechnology are present in Koop’s work. She is also continually paying homage to the visible spectrum, expanding her knowledge of color and how it relates to her visual vocabulary.

Wanda Koop lives and works in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Koop’s career has spanned three decades and includes numerous solo exhibitions, most notably a major survey of her work at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, in 2010 and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, in 2011. She has been the recipient of numerous national and international honors, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal; the Japan Fund Award; and the Order of Canada. She is also the recipient of honorary doctorates from the University of Winnipeg; the Emily Carr University of Art and Design; and the University of Manitoba. In 1998, Koop founded Art City as a storefront art center, bringing contemporary visual artists and inner-city youth together to explore the creative process.