Dr. Vk Preston

Biography

VK Preston is an artist and cultural historian whose work traverses art and critical practices through inquiry into movement, texts, images, and cultural expression. Their research includes the study of performing arts archives, improvisation, and intersectional historiography. VK collaborates with artists and scientists, focusing on dance studies, health, and research creation, exploring the histories of senses and experiential narrative approaches to embodiment in artistic practices. Recent work addresses performance through early modern archives within Francophone and Atlantic-world contexts, particularly examining the long histories of French colonization in North America, often referred to as Turtle Island. VK is currently working on a book manuscript that encompasses documentary visual literature, improvisatory writing, collaborative composition, poetry, and illustration. Their theoretical writing has been honored and published in notable journals such as postmedieval, Theatre Journal, and the Oxford Handbook series. They have received several accolades, including the honourable mention for the Richard Plant Award from the Canadian Association for Theatre Research and the Gertrude Lippincott Prize from the Dance Studies Association. VK Preston holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and has taught at various prestigious institutions, including Brown University and the University of Toronto. Currently, they serve on editorial boards for academics journals and are an active participant in research projects related to the arts and cultural practices.

Research Interests

Experience