Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Living, working, writing, and arting in New York City.
kaweisdorf@gmail.com / kaylaweisdorf@alum.calarts.edu
EDUCATION
MFA, Film/Video, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Valencia, CA, USA
BA, Modern Culture and Media, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
PROGRAMS
2022–2023 Interdisciplinary Art and Theory Program (IATP), New York, NY, USA
2018–2019 Whitney Independent Study Studio Program (Whitney ISP), New York
GROUP EXHIBITIONS / EVENTS
2023
‘If Work, 2022–2023 IATP Exhibition, Anonymous Gallery, New York
“IATP 2023 Symposium,” Jack Shainman Gallery, New York
2021
“Artist as Innovator: Demo Day,” a three-day virtual showcase of projects incubated by Visions2030’s Imaginator Start-Up initiative, New York
2020
“The New City,” an online conference/gathering curated by Visions2030, New York
2019
“The call is coming from inside the house,” Whitney ISP Studio Program Exhibition, EFA Project Space, The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York
2017
“Shadowbox,” A.R. Projects LA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
2020
Holders, written and directed by Erika Landström, The Emily Harvey Foundation, New York
Performed by Tess Sahara Çetin, Aislinn McNamara, Tavish Miller, and myself. Assisted in rehearsals
2019
The Nature of Glove, developed and performed by Dustin Brons, Coleman Collins, Erika Landström, Maximillian Schmoetzer, Felipe Steinberg, Kristof Trakal and myself as a part of “The call is coming from inside the house,” EFA Project Space, The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York
2017
“Dysfunctional Formulas of Love,” The Box, Los Angeles
Acted as a proxy on of behalf Aurora Rampante (Tupac Cruz and Lorena Espitia), elaborating their piece The Four Corners with my own contributions. Curated by Corazón Del Sol and Víctor Albarracín Llanos
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018
“Quality Bonding Time,” thesis show, C113, CalArts, Valencia, CA, USA
AWARDS / GRANTS
2021
Visions2030 (“dedicated to harnessing the creative imagination as a lever for global change”) accelerator monies, New York
2020
Visions2030 seed monies, New York
2017
Interdisciplinary Project Grant, CalArts, Valencia, CA, USA
Film/Video Project Funds, CalArts, Valencia, CA, USA
2016–2018
Hillenburg Family Scholar, CalArts, Valencia, CA, USA
PUBLICATIONS AS AUTHOR
2019
Collins, Coleman and Kayla Weisdorf. “Where the fear comes from.” Whitney Independent Study Program 2018-19, Steuben Press, 2019, pp. 77-88.
Brons, Dustin and Kayla Weisdorf. “The McCarren Park Conversations.” Whitney Independent Study Program 2018-19, Steuben Press, 2019, pp. 131-140.
SELECTED WORK EXPERIENCE
2022–December 2023
Substitute Teacher, Williamsburg High School of Architecture and Design, NYCDOE
Filling in for teachers and teaching assistants in 9th–12th grade art and architecture courses, plus other classes as needed
September 2022–April 2023
Teaching Artist, Bronx River Arts Center Teen Project Studio +2.0
Winter session: Issue-based design
Fall session: Biophilic design
2015–2018
Teaching Assistant / Visiting Artist Workshop Assistant, CalArts School of Film/Video
Assisted visiting artists in the planning and execution of week-long workshops, including Peggy Ahwesh, Natalia Almada, Sharon Lockhart, Laura Poitras, Kerry Tribe, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and others. I also TA’d for:
+ James Benning / Filmmaking Fundamentals / Fall 2017 and Fall 2016
+ Rebecca Baron / Fieldwork in the Visual Field / Fall 2016
+ Steve Anker, Rebecca Baron, and David Dinnell variously / Structuring Strategies/Cinematic Voices / 2015–2018
2012–2015
Film/Television/Commercial Professional, Freelance
Role varied from Set Decoration Production Assistant (for season 3 of the FX series The Americans, season 1 of the Amazon series Red Oaks) to Assistant Art Director to Associate Producer (for the independent feature film Mahjong and the West) to Producer/Director/Videographer
