Sylvia Benitez
Sylvia Benitez (born June 27, 1957) is an American visual artist known for her contributions to atmospheric painting and sculptural installations. [1] She gained recognition as the founder and president of The Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association (GAGA). [2] [3] [4] [5][
Benitez's artistic journey encompasses a range of mediums, predominantly focusing on landscape painting and sculptural works, characterized by her exploration of Arte Povera principles and the innovative use of indigenous plants and materials.[2] [3] [4]
| Sylvia Benitez | |
|---|---|
 Sylvia Portrait.jpg | |
| Born | 1957-06-27 Baltimore, MD |
| 🏳️ Nationality | American |
| 🏫 Education | BFA University of Maryland (1975-1979) |
| 💼 Occupation | Visual Artist |
| Known for | Atmospheric painting, sculpture, founder of The Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association (GAGA), Artist in Education Murals Maryland State Arts Council, Delaware State Art Council, and NYC Construction Authority Sites for Students |
| 🌐 Website | http://www.sylviabenitez.com/ |
Early Life
Benitez was born on June 27, 1957, in Baltimore, Maryland. She pursued her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Maryland from 1975 to 1979. Notable mentors during her academic years included Dr. David C. Driskell and Martin Puryear. [6][7][5]
Career
Benitez's artistic journey started in the early 1980s when she embraced Arte Povera's principles during her residency in the Lower East Side of New York City[4]. Over time, her artistic focus transitioned towards utilizing indigenous plants such as wild grape, [3] [5]
Benitez was amongst the 10 artists selected for the Johns Hopkins University Sculpture Biennial at Evergreen show. [3] [8]
Her artwork has been exhibited in various prestigious venues, including Socrates Park, Wave Hill, American Craft Museum, El Museo de Historia, Anthropologia y Arte,[5]Stone Hill Quarry Art Park, and the Whitney Museum.[9]The construction of a sculpture at Art Omi / Aedicules by Benitez required the incorporation of a substructure, utilizing Baling twine. The discovery of the material's aesthetic qualities and potential during this process marked a personal revelation for Benitez. [3]
Benitez served as an instructor at Southwest School of Art, contributing to community art classes for an extended duration, although the specific number of years remains unspecified. Additionally, Benitez founded and operated GAGA, a 501(c)(3) organization, which facilitates exhibition opportunities for member artists. [3] [4]
Benitez conducted organic sculpture art workshops in the past through a program initiated and funded by the Richmond Museum of Fine Arts. The last link in this context pertains to the program associated with the Richmond Museum of Fine Arts, encompassing the mentioned organic sculpture art workshops. [3]
Benitez's career trajectory includes a diverse array of accomplishments, such as receiving two Pollock-Krasner Foundation awards in 1997 and 2000, an Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Individual Support Grant in 2011,[4] and multiple National Endowment for the Arts Visiting Artist Fellowships.[5] [6] One of her famous sculptures was Penelope, exhibited at Gallery Nord, it is of two large scale inverted pyramids.
Moreover, Benitez exhibited artwork at LHUCA in one of the main galleries during the tenure of Linda Cullum as curator in 2013. Subsequently, she facilitated the presentation of GAGA at the same venue in 2014.
Benitez’s creative vision eventually morphed into creating atmospheric landscape painting executed from memory[5]. This direction was embraced and supported by numerous exhibiting institutions in Texas. This work was awarded by many solo exhibitions or individual exhibition space within a larger facility, including The Beeville Museum, The Dougherty Arts Center, South Texas University, and the San Antonio Art League and Museum which honored her with their prestigious Artist of the Year award/solo exhibition as well as numerous commercial galleries.
Exhibitions
Selected Solo/ Exhibitions [10] [3] [4]
· 2023 Wally Workman Gallery/ solo [3]
· 2023 Slate Gray Gallery/solo
· 2022. San Antonio Art League and Museum, SATX Artist 0f The Year Solo Exhibition
· 2021 The Carver Community Cultural Center.
· 2019 The Dougherty Center/ solo, Austin TX
· 2017 Coastal Bend College, /solo Beeville, TX
· 2016 South Texas College, solo/ McAllen, TX] [11] [7]
· 2013 Beeville Art Museum, solo Beeville TX
· 2013 Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Main gallery, Lubbock TX
· 2012 McNay Two-Day Pop-Up Exhibit [3]
· 2012 Gallery Nord, San Antonio TX
· 2011 Gallery Nord, San Antonio, TX
· 2010 Rockport Center for the Arts, Rockport TX, Solo, Still the Land, John Aasp, curator
· 2009 Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta GA
· 2009 Gallery Nord, San Antonio TX
· 2009 Mitte Gallery, Texas State University, Main Gallery/ San Marcos TX, Where Meets the Sea, Mary Mikel Stump, curator [3] [4]
· 2008 Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA, Hatshepsut, Amy Lipton, curator [12]
· 2008 Gallery Nord, San Antonio TX
· 2007 McDonough School Gallery, Baltimore, MD Landscape Painting, Oletha Devane, curator
· 2006 Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Wilmington DE, Site/Sight, Susan Isaacs, curator [4][5]
· 2004 New Arts Program, Mouse Trap, Kutztown, PA, James Carroll, curator
· 2000 Urban Glass: Collaborative installation with Alan Glovsky, Go Ask Alice, John Perrault, curator
· 2000 Wave Hill: Generated @ Wave Hill commission, Beneath the Bark, Under Leaf and Log, Jennifer McGregor, curator1999 Taller Boriqua Gallery/ Puerto Rican Workshop, Inc. NY, Patria Mia- Tierra Prometida, Y.Ramirez, curator [1]
· 1998 The Neuberger Museum of Art, SUNY, Purchase, NY, Which Myth Will Tell, Judy Collischan, curator
· 1997 University of Puerto Rico, Museo de Arte, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Lineas Para Abuelo, H. Cruz, curator
· 1997 Galeria Raices, Puerto Rico, Lexicon for Elsie, Silvia Cubina, curator
Group Exhibitions [10][7][13][9]
· 2012 Guadalupe Cultural Center, San Antonio TX, This River Here, curated Patty Ortiz [7]
· 2009 Quadrivial New Gallery Artists Thornwood Gallery, Dallas Texas USA[10]
· 2008 Hovering Above Abington Art Center Jenkintown Pennsylvania USA [10]
· 2000 Sculpture 2000 International: New London CT, Alvin Sher, curator [13]
· 1998 Whitney Museum of American Art at Campion, Interlacings, Berta Sichel, curator [9]
Fellowships
Following is the list of her fellowships. [3]
· 2003 Vermont Studio Center, Artist Fellowship Award
· 2000 Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Fellowship, Sweetbriar VA
· 1999 Stone Hill Quarry Art Park, Cazenovia NY [3]
· 1998 Sculpture Space Fellowship, Utica NY
· 1996 Connemara Conservancy, Dallas TX
· 1992 Ucross Foundation Fellowship, Wyoming [14]
· 1991 Manhattan Graphics Center Fellowship, NY
· 1985 MacDowell Colony Fellowship, Peterborough, New Hampshire [15]
· 1984 Yaddo Fellowship, Saratoga Springs, NY [16]
· 1984 MacDowell Colony Fellowship, Peterborough, NH [15]
Awards
Following is the list of the awards Benitez has received over the course of her career. [17] [11][3] [18] [5][12] [19]
· 2011 Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Individual Support Grant
· 2008 National Endowment for the Arts Visiting Artist Fellowship: Abington Arts Center PA [12]
· 2000 Pollock-Krasner [18]
· 1997 Pollock Krasner sculpture [18]
· 2011 National Exhibit, Rockport Center for the Arts, TX, First Prize, Rene P. Barilleaux, Juror
· 2000 Generated @ Wave Hill Sculptural installation award
· 1998 AICA, Association of International Critics of Art, Best Exterior Sculpture Installation, 1997, Puerto Rico [3] [5]
· 1998 Socrates Sculpture Park: Emerging Artist Award [19]
· 1997 Empire State Crafts Alliance’s Grants for NY State Craft Artists Program
· 1997 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award
· 1992 Puffin Foundation Grant
Personal Life
Benitez's family history carries Puerto Rican heritage, notably through her great great-grandfather, the Puerto Rican Romantic Poet Jose Gautier Benitez.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/12/arts/art-in-review-sylvia-benitez-and-charles-juhasz-alvarado.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.macdowell.org/artists/sylvia-benitez
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 sypstudios.com/elevating-nature-sylvia-benitezs-artistic-exploration-of-flora
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 artistweekly.com/bridging-art-and-empowerment-the-journey-of-sylvia-benitez-and-the-gentileschi-aegis-gallery-association/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 https://artdaily.com/news/168651/The-Changing-Creative-Voice--A-Sculptor-s-Transition-to-Atmospheric-Painting
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://library.southtexascollege.edu/personal-topography-natural-abstraction/
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 https://library.southtexascollege.edu/category/library-art-gallery/page/10/
- ↑ https://pages.jh.edu/gazette/2004/03may04/03green.html
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/11/nyregion/art-seven-artists-apply-craft-to-fine-art.html
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Sylvia-Benitez/2D1E7D1AC0840A7F/Exhibitions
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 https://library.southtexascollege.edu/category/library-art-gallery/lag-previous-exhibits/page/10/
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 https://www.mutualart.com/Exhibition/Hovering-Above/636CD4603223E390
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/18/nyregion/art-whale-leads-the-show-in-new-london.html
- ↑ https://www.ucrossfoundation.org/visual-arts.html
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://www.macdowell.org/artists/sylvia-benitez
- ↑ https://yaddo.org/our-artists/
- ↑ https://library.southtexascollege.edu/personal-topography-natural-abstraction/
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 https://www.pkf-imagecollection.org/artist/Sylvia_Benitez/works/?list_url=%2Fartists%3Fsort%3DAE%26page%3D1%26letter%3DB
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 https://socratessculpturepark.org/artist/sylvia-benitez/
