CV

BRENDA TORRES FIGUEROA

Fajardo, Puerto Rico. 1976.

EDUCATION

• Masters in Fine Arts, School of the Art Institute de Chicago, Chicago Illinois | 2004

• Bachelor of Arts, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras | 2000

• Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, 2002

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

• Director of Educational Programming | Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center Chicago IL | September 2021-

• Integrated Arts Teacher | The Chicago High School for the Arts, Chicago IL | August 2016-June 2021

• Arts Educator & Chair of Mission and Community Relations | Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, Chicago IL | 2008 – 2016

• Curatorial Consultant | National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC), Chicago IL | 2004 – 2014

• Curator | Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, Santurce Puerto Rico | March 2006 – June 2008

Certifications

Professional Teaching Certificate Visual Arts K-12 Illinois State Board of Education 2010 – Present

PROJECTS DESIGNED | CURATORIAL

• Dressed as Home and Refuge | To Ammend (Artist Residency) 2021, The HoneyComb Network, Chicago, IL

• Homecoming: Selection of Puerto Rican Artists in Chicago, 2014-2015 National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, Chicago IL

• Cause It might fade away, 2010 | Selection of contemporary Puerto Rican women artists in Chicago Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, Chicago IL

• Érase una vez... Once upon a time... (Selection of works from the Permanent Collection of the MAC dedicated to children) Lexus Hall- Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [June- July 2008]

• ANTROPOFAGIA: Marisol Plard Narváez (Video Art Piece-complimentary to FEMINISMOS) Hall 2- Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [March- June 2008]

• FEMINISMOS: Ensayo sobre el Cuerpo, la Conducta y el Artificio (Selection of works from the Permanent Collection of the MAC and guest artists exploring post feminist theories in the past two decades) MCS HALL Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [March-July 2008]

• DESEMBARCOS: Reflexiones de una ISLA Barco (Selection of Cuban contemporary art from the Berezdivin Collection) BPPR HALL Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [August 2007- Jan. 2008]

• RESTOS: Estudio Arteológico/REMAINS: Arteological Study (Selection mix media works from the Permanent Collection of the MAC) MCS HALL, 2 and New Tendencies –Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [Aug. 2007- Feb. 2008]

• Nuevas Adquisiciones del MAC/New Acquisitions of the MAC (Selection of new works 2004-2006 from the Permanent Collection of the MAC) LEXUS Hall –Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [Nov. 2006- Feb. 2007]

• OBJETOS DE GRAVAMEN Y CAUSA: Interpretaciones Contemporáneas sobre el tema del consumo BPPR HALL –Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [Sept 2006- Feb. 2007]

• SHIN MATSUNAGA: La Estética del Consumo MCS HALL–Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico [July 2006- Feb. 2007]

LECTURES/ PRESENTATIONS

• 2008—Curando Latino América Program at Centro Cultural de España, El Salvador [Curatorial Lecture] Forum: Discussions on FEMINISMS, MAC

• 2007— Panel Moderator—Colloquium: Remains: Collective Memory, MAC

• Panel Moderator— Forum: On Abstraction: Noemí Ruiz, MAC

• Panel Moderator— Forum: Digital Art Research, MAC

• Panel Moderator-Forum: Hybridism’s, MAC

• Panel Moderator—Colloquium: Art consumption and market, MAC

• 2005— Brenda Torres Figueroa- Last Call, Fine Arts Department, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

• 2003—Brenda Torres-Figueroa & Edra Soto: Contemporary Puerto Rican Artists in Chicago Lecture

• Series, Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, Chicago IL Women on Migration- DePaul University, Chicago, IL

• 2003— Dime que me amas... (a work in progress) Performance Department Lecture Series, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL

• 2001— Refuges, Performance Department Lecture Series, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

PUBLICATIONS/ESSAYS (Selected)

• Galactic Visions: Other Territories and Somatic Landings | Colección Maravilla 2010

• “On Antropophagia: Marisol Plard Nárvaez”, Wynwood Art Magazine, MIAMI June 2008

• “Jardín de Enigmas: Néstor Millán” February, 2008, Exhibition Catalogue

• “Restos: Estudio Arteólogico”, August, 2007, Exhibition Catalogue

• “Birth: Migdalia Barens Vera” July, 2007, Exhibition Catalogue

• “Objects of Burden and Cause” July 2006, Exhibition Catalogue

• “Rafael Trelles: On Filiberto” December, 2005, exhibition Catalogue

• “Cada una tiene Nombre: Norah Hernández”, 2005, ARTES, Republica Dom.

AWARDS

• 3Arts Make a Wave Art Grantee, 2021

• City of Chicago Artist Grants [2003], Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs

• Merit Scholarship, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture [2002]

• Merit Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, [2001-2004]

ARTIST’S EXHIBITION RECORD | Performances, Installations and Interventions

2021-Dressed as Home and Refuge to Amend, Artist Residency, Honey Comb Network, Cicago IL

2020-Dressed as Home and Refuge | Humboldt Park Boathouse Gallery, Chicago IL

2019- Anarquía y Dialectica del Deseo, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico

2005— Homeless, Sin Título Galería de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan PR

2004— Las Negritas No lloran, Sin Título Galería de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan PR

2002—

• Homeless, Collage Gallery of the Americas, Chicago IL

• Homeless, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine

• An Ocean Without Red Boats, L’Montage, Art Institute of Chicago

• Refuge, Collage Gallery of the Americas, Chicago IL

2001—

• Underbride, Women Performance Jam Benefit Fall, Chicago, IL.

• Rojokirmizi, Lady Fest Midwest Chicago, Chicago, IL

• Al Sur del Océano, Pedro Albizu Campos Museum, Chicago IL

2000—

• Y para cada Santa hay una vela, Insight Arts, Chicago IL

• Public Intercourse/ Nuptial Discourse, Women Performance Jam Benefit, Chicago

• La femme qui n'existe pas, Sin Título Contemporary Art Gallery, San Juan, PR

• Vestida de Hogar y Refugio, Espacio ?, #157 San Juan, Puerto Rico.

GROUP SHOWS (SELECTION)

2019- Anarquía y Dialéctica en el Deseo, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico.

2004—Colored Girls Don't Cry, Curated Project: MFA Thesis Show, Gallery 2 SAIC, Chicago, IL

2003— Puerto Rico and Colombia: Caribbean Connections, Galería Tinta Roja. Chicago, IL

2002— Haciendo Patria, Collage Gallery of the Americas. Chicago, IL

The Body as a Poetic Space, Collage Gallery of the Americas, Chicago, IL

1999— Clonación II, Museo de Arte de Caguas. Caguas PR

• Graduandos, Galeria Francisco Oller. UPR Rio Piedras, PR

• Fotografía Medio de Visíón e Ideas, Galería Francisco Oller, UPR Río Piedras

• Artículos Femeninos, Universidad Interamericana, Hato Rey, PR

1998— Cuarta Bienal de Artes Plásticas, Museo Casa Roig, Humacao, PR