Blanka Amezkua facts for kids
Blanka Amezkua is a talented artist born in Mexico City in 1971. She is known for creating art that brings people together. Blanka is a painter, but her art also gets ideas from folk art and popular culture. This includes things like papel picado (colorful paper cutouts) and even comic books.
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Blanka's Early Life
Blanka Amezkua was born in Mexico City. She grew up in Los Angeles, California. She studied art at California State University at Fresno. Later, she went to an art school in Florence, Italy, from 1997 to 1998. She trained to be a painter there.
Her Art Career
Blanka Amezkua is famous for starting unique art spaces.
The Bronx Blue Bedroom Project
In 2008, Blanka started an art space in her own bedroom. She called it the Bronx Blue Bedroom Project (BBBP). It was a special place where artists could show their work. In 2010, this project was featured in a big art show in New York City. It was also included in a book about New York art spaces.
Art Around the World
From 2010 to 2016, Blanka lived in New York City and Athens, Greece. During this time, she started a project called "3///3 ...three walls on wednesdays...". She would carry three portable walls around the city. Artists from all over the world could show their art on these walls.
In 2012, she created "8 to 8: State of Creative Emergency". This project gave artists a chance to share their ideas in public for twelve hours straight.
FokiaNou Art Space
In 2014, Blanka founded FokiaNou 24/7, which is now called FokiaNou Art Space. This space is inside an apartment in Athens, Greece. It hosts art shows, workshops, and other projects. Other artists now run this space.
AAA3A in the Bronx
In 2016, Blanka started AAA3A. This name is actually her address! It's an art space in the South Bronx. It's in the same home where the Bronx Blue Bedroom Project (BBBP) used to be. AAA3A hosts art events, talks, workshops, and even meals.
Blanka in the News
Blanka's art and projects have been written about in many important publications. These include The New York Times, TimeOut NY, The Bomb magazine, and Art News. Her work has also been featured on websites like Artsy and Hyperallergic.
Exhibitions
The Future is LATINX Art Show
Blanka Amezkua's art was part of a traveling group show called The Future is LATINX. This exhibition started at Eastern Connecticut State University Art Gallery. The show wanted to highlight the amazing art created by Latino artists. It aimed to show how this community is changing our culture.
The exhibition was on display from October 8 to December 2, 2020. It then traveled to Clark University's Schiltkamp Gallery. There, it was called Latin + American and was shown from March 15 to May 9, 2021. After that, it went to Three Rivers Community College from August 30 to October 1, 2021.
Blanka showed her piece called Untitled (Silhouette with Skirt) in this exhibition. She exhibited alongside many other talented artists.
Awards
- 2009 Department of Cultural Affairs Greater New York Arts Development Fund (for Bronx Blue Bedroom Project)
- 2008 The Bronx Museum of the Arts: AIM 28 (Artist in the Marketplace)
- 2008 Bronx Council On The Arts: BRIO
Residencies
- 2022 Wave Hill Winter Workspace; Bronx, NY; January – February
- 2021 Artist Research Fellowship of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library; New York, NY
- 2021 Bridging the Divide - an Artbridge Residency at Mitchel Houses; Bronx, NY
- 2020 Governors Island Residency with Bronx Art Space; New York, NY; September - October
- 2020 ARC-Athens Virtual Resident; June
- 2019 AIM - The Block Gallery; Tribeca, NY; January - June
- 2013 artAmari : Amari, Crete, Greece; May 1 - 20
See also
In Spanish: Blanka Amezkua para niños
