Qiana Mestrich

Qiana Mestrich is a photographer, writer, digital marketer and mother living and working in Brooklyn, NY. In 2007, Mestrich founded the blog Dodge & Burn: Decolonizing Photography History. Featuring interviews with and profiles of photographers of color, the blog advocates for a more inclusive version of photography history, featuring contributions to the medium by and about underrepresented cultures. Mestrich is currently writing a book based on the blog to be published by Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

Mestrich's critical writing has been published in art journals like En Foco’s Nueva Luz, ARC Magazine and SPE’s exposure. She is also co-editor of the book How We Do Both: Art and Motherhood (Secretary Press), a diverse collection of honest responses from contemporary artists who have walked—and are still walking—the tenuous tightrope of motherhood and making art. Now in its second edition, How We Do Both is available on Amazon and select bookstores nationwide.

A graduate of the ICP-Bard College MFA in Advanced Photographic Practice, Mestrich received her B.A. with a concentration in photography from Sarah Lawrence College. She was most recently the Associate Director, Digital Content and Engagement at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York. Starting fall 2016 she will be an adjunct professor in photography at SUNY Stony Brook.

Qiana Mestrich is a visual artist and writer. Grounded in photography, her work  is largely autobiographical and seeks to unravel convoluted personal and/or public histories. In 2007, the desire to mesh photography and her professional experience in the web content development and social media lead her to launch the blog Dodge & Burn: Diversity in Photography History, profiling photographers of color. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her family and is a 2013 candidate for the MFA in Advanced Photographic Practice at ICP-Bard College.