Karina Aguilera Skvirsky

Karina Aguilera Skvirsky (b. Providence, RI) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice began in photography and grew into video and performance. In 2019, she received a grant from Creative Capital to produce Sacred Geometry, a series of hand-cut photographic collages and How to build a wall and other ruins, a project that includes a multi-channel video installation and live performances. She has exhibited Sacred Geometry in solo exhibitions at Museo Amparo in Puebla, Mexico and Ponce + Robles Gallery in Madrid, Spain. How to Build a Wall and Other Ruins premiered at the XVth Cuenca Biennial, curated by Blanca de la Torre in December 2021. Other important international exhibitions include her participation in Impermanence, the XIII Cuenca Biennial (Ecuador) curated by Dan Cameron in 2016 and There is always a cup of sea for man to sail, the 29th São Paulo Biennial in Brazil (2010).

Estudios/Studies

1996 – Indiana University, M.F.A., Photography

1990 – Oberlin College, B.A., Spanish Literature

Colecciones/Collections

• Whitney Museum of American Art [New York, NY, USA]
• Valzuela Foundation [España]
• Otazu Foundation [España]
• Eacheve Foundation [Ecuador]
• Urbes Mutantes: Latin American Photography [Paris, France]
• CBRE Development Corporation [New York, NY, USA]
• New York Historical Society [New York, NY, USA]
• Samuel Dorsky Museum [New Paltz, NY, USA]
• Museum of Modern Art Library [New York, NY, USA]
• Brooklyn Museum of Art [Brooklyn, NY, USA]
• SFMOMA Library [San Francisco, California, USA]
• New York Public Library [New York, NY, USA]
• Art Institute of Chicago [Chicago, Illinois, USA]
• Rhode Island School of Design [Providence, Rhode Island, USA]
• Indiana University Fine Arts Library [Bloomington, Indiana, USA]
• & Private collections

Solo shows

2022

• Research Commission, Hispanic Society Museum. [New York, NY, USA]
• Las piedras están vivas. (The Rocks are Alive.) Ponce + Robles Gallery [Madrid, España]
• Piedras Vivas. Kronfle, Rodolfo (curator). Proyecto Nasal [Guayaquil, Ecuador]

2021

• Cambiar el verde por azul. De la Torre, Blanca (curator). Bienal de Cuenca XV [Cuenca, Ecuador]
• Proyecto Pinturas Negras. Ratia, Alejandro (curator). Public Art Project [Belchite, España]
• Life-line, Photoville, Public Art Project in collaboration with Artist Laura Nova, The Clemente [New York, NY, USA]
• Rumi, Solo Project. Roldan, Luis (curator) Pinta Art Fair [Miami, Florida, USA]
• Rumi, Talo Gallery [Cuenca, Ecuador]

2020

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, on-line solo project, Valencia, Andrea (curator). Backroom, Museo Rufino Tamayo [México DF, México]
• The Perilous Journey of María Rosa Palacios, _VIGILGONZALES Galería [Cusco, Perú]
• Geometría Sagrada, solo Booth, Moura, Rodrigo; Temkin, Susanna (curators). Diálogos, On-line Frieze Art Fair. El museo del Barrio [New York, NY, USA]

2019

• Geometría Sagrada/Sacred Geometry, Carreras, Claudí (curator), Museo Amparo [Puebla, México]
• Geometría Sagrada/Sacred Geometry, Estrada, Pilar (curator). Ponce+Robles Gallery [Madrid, España]

2017

• The Perilous Journey of María Rosa Palacios, Gilrain, Kathleen (curator). Smack Mellon Gallery [Brooklyn, NY, USA]
• Folds in the Photograph/Los pliegues en la foto, Kronfle-Chambers, Rodolfo (curator). DPM Gallery [Guayaquil, EC]Drones, Monmouth University Gallery [Monmouth, New Jersey, USA]

2016

• Impermanence, XIII Cuenca Biennial, Cameron, Dan (curator), Museo Pumapungo [Cuenca, Ecuador] (museum)

2014

• Proposals for an Ecuadorian Pavilion in Venice, Hansel & Gretel Picture Garden Pocket Utopia [New York,NY] Drones, DPM Gallery [Guayaquil, Ecuador]

2013

• Bloomfield Avenue Hotline, a collaborative public art project with Liselot van der Heijden. Bloomfield College & Montclair Museum of Art [Montclair, New Jersey, USA] (museum)

2012

• Southern Exposure, Kronfle-Chambers, Rodolfo (curator). DPM Gallery [Guayaquil, Ecuador]

2011

• Ask Me: Tell Me, a public art project commissioned by the Laundromat Project [New York, NY, USA]

2010

• There is always a cup of sea for man to sail, the 29th São Paulo Biennial, 2010 dos Anjos, Moacir and Farias, Agnaldo, (chief curators). Carvajal, Rina, Maharaj, Sarat, Martinez, Chus, Hasegawa, Yuko and Alvim, Fernando, (guest curators) [São Paulo, Brasil] (museum)
• Memories of Development, Quijano, Rodrigo (curator). La Ex-Culpable [Lima, Peru]

2006

• Backyards, Heist, Eric (curator). Momenta Art [Brooklyn, NY, USA]

2004

• From the Woolworth, Drawing Room. Jessica Murray Projects [Brooklyn, NY, USA]

Group shows

2024

• Hors Pistes. group exhibition, Centre Pompidou [Málaga, España] (museum)
• Signal. Meksin, Leeza, Curator. Rema Hort Mann Foundation. [New York, NY, USA]
• Re-Collections: Unmounting Colonial Histories. Arturo Almeida, Daniel (curator). Latinx Project. [New York, NY, USA]
• Jugar con los ojos cerrados; Cien Años de Surrealismo. Rangel, Gabriela (curator). RGR Gallery. [Mexico DF, México]
• Solsticio. Carrera, Eduardo (curator). Kates-Ferri Projects [New York, NY, USA]

2023

• If Everything Has Already Been Decided. Mahara & Co. Art Space 305 [Miami, Florida, USA]
• Un metro del Ecuador, Kronfle, Rodolfo (curator). IL POSTO [Santiago, Chile]
• All Inclusive. _VIGILGONZALES Santo Domingo [Ciudad Colonial, República Dominicana] 
• Bad Mirror. A two-part exhibition presented by EFA Studios & Monira Foundation [New York, NY, USA]
• In Retrospect / Bad Mirror. A two-part exhibition presented by Monira Foundations & The Elizabeth Foundation for the Art [Jersey City, New Jersey, USA]

2022

• NY Latin American Art Triennial. The Clemente [New York, NY, USA]

2021

• Water. Estrada, Pilar (curator). Ponce + Robles Gallery [Madrid, España]
• “Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present”. Carrera, Eduardo. Sánchez, Jorge (curators) Centre de Arte Contemporaneo [Quito, Ecuador]

2020

• De confines y confinamiento, Cazar, Katya (curator). on-line exhibition, a precursor, XV Cuenca Biennial[Cuenca, Ecuador]
•  Sinergia 2.0, Aguirre, Mauricio (curator). Proyecto Nasal [Guayaquil, Ecuador]
• Power of the Feminine: (Re) Interpretadas, Cruzalegui, Pia (curator). Chicago Art Department [Chicago, Illinois, USA]
• MICA’s Education Development Seminar on-Line Exhibition [Baltimore, Maryland, USA]
•  Lo que dejamos afuera, on-line exhibition, _VIGILGONZALES Galería with C.J. Chueca y Natalia Iguñiz [Lima, Perú]

2019

• Process, Hayes, Jeffreen (curator). Handwerker Gallery, Ithaca College [Ithaca, NY, USA]
• Styling Perspectives, Arnold, Alli (curator). Natman Room, John Jay Sharp Building, BAM [Brooklyn, NY, USA]
• Africamericanos, Carreras, Claudi (curator). Museo Amparo [Puebla, México,] (museum)
• where we came from + where we are going, Kitada, Kimi (curator). Transformer [Washington, DC, USA]

2018

• Africamericanos, Carreras, Claudi (curator). Centro de la imagen [Mexico DF, México] (museum)
• Proyecto N.A.S.A.(L), Aguirre, Mauricio (curator). Galería José Domingo La Mar, Paralel exhibition with the XIV Cuenca Biennial [Cuenca, Ecuador]
• Moving Visuals, Yaron, Dorit (curator). The David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland [College Park, Maryland, USA]
• Hybrid Topographies, Espinel, Monica (curator). Deutsche Bank [New York, NY, USA]

2017

• Where does the future get made, Lishui Biennial Photography Festival, Lishui Museum of Art [Lishui, China]
• Exquisite Corpse, Ysabel, Pinyol (curator). Mana Contemporary [Miami, Florida, USA]
• Almost home: Between Staying and Leaving a Phantom Land, Dror, Slomit (curator). Dorsky Gallery [Queens, NY, USA]
• Hacia donde Olmedo miraba, Estrada, Pilar (curator). Ponce + Robles Gallery [Madrid, España]

2016

• Descent, Ickes, Charlotte (curator). Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA]

2015

• The Daily Grind, Getty, Cassandra (curator). Museum London [London, Ontario, Canada] (museum)
• Contornos: Desenredando el Museo, Carrera, Edu, (curator). Centro de Arte Contemporáneo [Quito, Ecuador]
• Mercury Retrograde: Animated Realities, Zimbele, Zeljka and Heath, William (curators). Graffiti Gallery EOOD [Varna, Bulgaria]
• Remnants, Baena, Fernando (curator). Galería Proceso [Cuenca, Ecuador]
• Story of a Story, Dror, Shlomit (curator). Smack Mellon [Brooklyn, NY, USA]

2014

• Ready or Not 2014, Dror, Shlomit (curator). Newark Museum [Newark, New Jersey, USA] (museum)
• Mercury Retrograde: Animated Realities, Zimbele, Zeljka and Heath, William (curators) [Croatia]
• Becoming Male, Erin Lopez-Riley, (curator). Freedman Gallery Center for the Arts, Albright College [Reading, Pennsylvania, USA]
• Once Upon A Time, Gugelberger, Rachel (curator). Center for Book Arts [NewYork, NY, USA]

2013

• Souvenir of Ecuador, La Paglia, Federica (curator). El Instituto Cervantes [Roma, Italia]
• Network of Mutuality: 50 Years Post-Birmingham”, Buck-Coleman, Audra (curator). The Art Gallery,University of Maryland [College Park, Maryland, USA]
• “Mercury Retrograde: Animated Realities”, Zimbele, Zeljka (curator). Stephan Stoyanov Gallery [New York, NY, USA]. Karlin Studios [Prague, Czech Republic]

2010

• Playlist, Kronfle-Chambers, Rodolfo and Zapata, Cristóbal (curators). Museo Municipal [Guayaquil, Ecuador] (museum)
• Lush Life, Evans, Franklin and Lopez-Chahoud, Omar (curators). Scaramouche Gallery [New York, NY, USA]
• The Narcissism of Difference, A MICA exhibition conceived by Christopher Whittey and Gerald Ross,Decker Gallery [Baltimore, Maryland, USA]
• Companion, Jahn, Marisa (curator). EFA Project Space [New York, NY, USA]
• Acting Out, Lopez-Riley, Erin (curator). Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) [Bronx, NY, USA]
• Recorded Stories, LMAK Projects [New York, NY, USA]

2007

• 50,000 Beds, video art commission, Doyle, Chris (curator). The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum [Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA] (museum)
• Interpreting Utopia, Wallace, Brian and Shanberg, Ariel (curators). Samuel Dorsky Museum [New Paltz, NY, USA] (museum)

2005

• S-Files. Cullen, Deborah and Nieves, Marysol (curators). Biennial exhibition, El museo del barrio [New York, NY] Museum of Art of Puerto Rico [San Juan, Puerto Rico] (museum)

Video Screenings, Performances & Web Projects

2024

• Guayaquil un faro al mundo en tiempos del cacao. video screening. Museo del Cacao [Guayaquil, Ecuador]

2022

•  NY Latin American Art Triennial. The Clemente [New York, NY, USA] 

2021

• How to build a wall and other ruins: paper, Mapping Meaning. Washington College [Chesterton, Maryland, USA]

2020

• Vote by Mail, part of 100 Years / 100 Women. Commissioned by The Laundromat Project and Park Avenue Armory [New York, NY, USA]
• Vote by Mail, on-line screening. Aurora Picture Show [Houston, Texas, USA]
• Gioconda, on-line screening. Gallery400, University of Illinois, Chicago [Chicago, Illinois, USA]

2019

• How to build a wall and other ruins: Pan de Yuca (Yuca Bread), Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Project Space. [New York, NY, USA]
• Female Migrations, Screening and Performance, Se habla español (SHE Collective). La Nacional [New York, NY, USA]

2018

• New Latin Wave, Hermo, Carmen (curator). Brooklyn Bazaar [Brooklyn, NY, USA]
• Powerful Vulnerable, convening, Magsamen, Mary (curator). Aurora Picture Show [Houston, Texas, USA]
• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá/ The Poems my Mother Recited, performance, Countercurrent Festival, University of Houston, Aurora Picture Show [Houston, Texas, USA]
• The Perilous Journey of María Rosa Palacios, screenings, Countercurrent Festival, University of Houston, Aurora Picture Show [Houston, Texas, USA]
• The Perilous Journey of María Rosa Palacios, video screening and panel discussion with Hayes, Jeffreen & Ickes, Charlotte. In Session, Threewalls [Chicago, Illinois, USA]

2017

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá/ The Poems my Mother Recited, performance, Events for “The Supper Club” exhibition, The 8th Floor [New York, NY, USA]

2016

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá/ The Poems my Mother Recited, performance, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA]

2015

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, performance, festival, FAAC [Cuenca, Ecuador]

2014

•  Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, performance, Center for Book Arts [New York, NY, USA]

2013

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, performance, Tertulia for Donceles, Helguera, Pablo (curator) Kent Gallery [New York, NY, USA]

2012

• Time Travels, Performance, Mapping Meaning conference [Capitol Reef, Utah, USA]
•  Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, performance, DPM Gallery [Guayaquil, Ecuador]

2010

• Los poemas que declamaba mi Mamá, performance, Acting Out, Bronx River Arts Center [Bronx, NY]
• Framing the Archive, Platt, Liss (curator). The Factory: Hamilton Media Arts, McMaster University [Hamilton, Canada]

Awards & Grants

2024

• NJ  State Council for the Arts Fellowship (Video) [Jersey City, New Jersey, USA]

2023

• Rema Hort Mann Artist Grant [New York, NY, USA]
• New York State Council for the Arts Grant (NYSCA), Film and Video [New York, NY, USA]

2021

• Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Award, Lafayette College [Easton, Pennsylvania, USA]
• City Artist Corp Grant, NYFA [New York, NY, USA]
• Wave Farm, Transmission Arts Grant  [New York, NY, USA]
• Practitioner’s Fellowship, Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, Brown University [Providence, Rhode Island, USA]

2019

• Anonymous Was A Woman [New York, NY, USA]
• Creative Capital, Visual Arts Grant [New York, NY, USA]
• Creative Engagement, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council [New York, NY, USA]
• New York Foundation for the Arts [New York, NY, USA]

2018

• NALAC (National Association Latino Arts & Culture) Visual Arts Grant [San Antonio, Texas, USA]

2015

• NYC Film and Media Grant, Jerome Foundation [Minnesota & New York, USA]
• Research/Scholar Fulbright Award to Ecuador “The Perilous Journey of Maria Palacios”  NJSCA (New Jersey State Council on the Arts), Photography Fellowship [New Jersey, USA]

2013

• Bloomfield Avenue Art Prize, Montclair Art Museum and Bloomfield College [New Jersey, USA]

2010

• NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts), Film and Electronic Arts Grant [New York, NY, USA]

2006

• Urban Artist Initiative Grant [New York, NY, USA]
• NALAC (National Association of Latino Arts & Culture) Grant [San Antonio, Texas, USA]
• Puffin Foundation Grant [Teaneck, New Jersey, USA]

Residencias/Residences

2024

• Winter Workspace Residency, Wave Hill [Bronx, NY, USA]

• Instituto Sacatar [Bahia, Brasil]

2023

• Fountainhead, [Miami, Florida, USA]

2022

• Villa Bergerie, [Huesca, España]

2015-2016

• Back in 5 minutes, Artist in Residence, El museo del barrio [New York, NY, USA]

2011

• Laundromat Project: Create Change Residency, a social practice project [New York & New Jersey, USA]

2010

• MacDowell Artist in Residence Program [Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA]

2008

• Cuts and Burns Residency, Outpost, Artist in Residence Program [New York, NY, USA]

2006

• Harvestworks New Work Residency [New York, NY, USA]

2005

• Swing Space, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council [New York, NY, USA].

• Institute of Electronic Arts Residency, Alfred University [Alfred, NY, USA]
• MacDowell Artist in Residence Program [Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA]
• Center for Book Arts, Artist in Residence [New York, NY, USA]

2004

• Smack Mellon Artist in Residence [Brooklyn, NY, USA]

2003

• Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Workspace, Woolworth Building [New York, NY, USA]