ARTIST BIO
Karen Navarro, currently based in Houston, is an Argentinian artist of Mapuche, Guaraní and European descent who works across the mediums of photography, collage, and sculpture. Her work investigates the intersections of identity, representation, race, and belonging in reference to her migrant experience, her Indigenous identity and the history of colonization and its influence. Navarro is interested in the nuances of identity, the constant hybridization of cultures, communication technologies and the concept of beauty—aiming to create, through her work, space for acceptance and existence.
Navarro has won the Artadia Fellowship, the Top Ten Lensculture Critics' Choice Award, and the Houston Center for Photography Beth Block Honoraria, among others. And, in 2024 she was an artist in residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, FL. Her work has been exhibited in the US and abroad. Selected shows include Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH); Artpace, San Antonio; Galerija Upuluh, Zagreb, Croatia; George Washington Carver Museum, Austin, TX; FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, Bloomington, IN; Holocaust Museum Houston; and Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Additionally, Navarro’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including ARTnews, The Guardian, Observer, and Rolling Stone Italia.
ARTIST CV
EDUCATION:
2018 l Glassell School of Art, Photography
2017 l Houston Center for Photography
2014 l Completed 90 credits towards B. Des., University of Buenos Aires
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2024 | [ON VIEW] “El Lado Oculto de la Luna,” FotoFest Biennial participating space, TANK Space at Spring Street Studios, Houston, TX, USA
2023 | "On Identity" Latino Film Festival, MATCH, Houston TX, USA
2023 l "Somos Millones" Koslov Larsen, Houston TX, USA
2022 l "The Constructed Self" FotoFest Biennial participating space, Texas A&M University, College Station TX, USA
2022 l "América Utópica: Houston," online & KNPH studios, Houston TX, USA
2022 l "The Constructed Self," Big Medium, Austin TX, USA
2021 l "The Constructed Self," Pictura Gallery at FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, Bloomington, IN, USA
2021 l "The Constructed Self," Koslov Larsen, Houston TX, USA
2019 l "El Pertenecer en Tiempos Modernos," Gray Contemporary, Houston TX, USA
2019 l "El Pertenecer en Tiempos Modernos," Meet Her Hands, Elisabet Ney Museum, Austin TX, USA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2023 | Untitled Art Fair, Miami Art Basel, Galleri Urbane booth, Miami, FL, USA
2023 | ATS 23, George Washington Carver Museum, Austin, TX, USA
2023 | LatinX Voices, Curated by Nicole Lampl, Reeves House Visual Arts Center, Woodstock, GA, USA
2023 | Expo Chicago, Koslov Laren (ex Foto Relevance) booth, Chicago, USA
2023 | Zona MACO, Big Medium booth, CDMX, Mexico
2022 l ArtCrush Ghent, Large scale digital projection on building, Ghent, Belgium
2022 l Between digital & physical, Mecena Art, Rome, Italy
2022 l Intersections, Galleri Urbane, Dallas, TX, USA
2022 l Lensculture New York 2022, Caelum Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2021 l Edition365, British Journal of Photography, newartcity.com
2021 l Slowed and Throwed: Records of the City Through Mutated Lenses, Curated by Patricia Restrepo, Artpace San Antonio, TX, USA
2021 l l Withstand: Latinx Art in Times of Conflict, Holocaust Museum Houston, TX, USA
2021 l Fresh, curated by Debra Klomp Ching and Darren Ching, Klompching gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2021 l Center Annual Show, curated by Kris Graves, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, USA
2021 l TOP 50 Critical Mass, Curated by Elizabeth Avedon, Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, California, USA
2020 l Slowed and Throwed: Records of the City Through Mutated Lenses, Curated by Patricia Restrepo, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston TX, USA
2020 l Photo Vogue Festival, Virtual projection part of PHmuseum 2020 Women Photographers Grant, Vogue Italia, Milan, Italy
2020 l Annual Student Exhibition, Glassell School of Art MFAH, Houston TX, USA
2020 l Photo London Digital Fair, Koslov Larsen (ex Foto Relevance) booth
2020 l VISURA 2020, Zagreb Biennale, Croatian Association of Fine Artists of Applied Arts, ULUPUH Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia.
2020 l Body A, curated by Jessi Bowman, FLATS, Houston TX, USA
2019 l Alternate Pathways, The Union, Houston TX, USA
2019 l The Nude Show, Curated by Holly Bobisuthi, Museum of Human Achievement, Austin TX, USA
2019 l 1000+1, Curated by Erica Cheung, Koslov Larsen, Houston TX, USA
2019 l Artadia Fellowship Exhibition, Curated by India Lovejoy, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX, USA
2019 l New Femininity #3, Curated by Laetitia Duveau, Curated by Girls, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019 l Intersections, Curated in part by Jonathan Jackson, Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX, USA
2018 l lll Salón de Arte Latinoamericano y XVLL Salón Nacional de Arte Fotográfico, Museo de la Reconquista, FotoClub Tigre, Argentina
2018 l 36th juried Membership Exhibition, Curated by Laura Rathe, Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l Deconstructions, Curated by Sabine Casparie, NCV, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l Mujeres del Sur, Curated by Theresa Escobedo, The Union TX, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l A Feminine Perspective, Curated by Bryan Bauhs, HCC Northline Art Gallery, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l Learning Curve 11, Curated by Haley Berkman Karren, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, USA
2017 l Learning Curve 10, Curated by Patricia Restrepo, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, USA
2017 l Color Theory, Curated by Tatiana Verenuso, Trio Contemporary Art Gallery, Athens, GA, USA
2017 l Spring Exhibit, Rice University Matchbox Gallery, Houston, TX, USA
AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES:
2024 l Houston Arts Alliance, Individual grant, Houston, TX, USA
2024 l Atlantic Center for the Arts, residency #192, New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA
2023 l Wendy Wagner Foundation, Fall Trio Grant, Houston, TX, USA
2023 l Support for Artists and Creatives Individuals, City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, HAA, Houston, TX, USA
2022 l SACI Grant, City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, HAA, Houston, TX, USA
2021 l Artadia Award, finalist, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2021 l Edition365, 1854 & The British Journal of Photography, UK
2021 l Lensculture Critics' Choice, Top Ten, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021 l Beth Block Annual Honoraria, Houston Center for Photography, Houston TX, USA
2021 l IPE 163, Shortlisted, The Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, UK
2021 l Lensculture Art Photography Award, Juror's pick, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2021 l Beers Summer Marathon, Shortlisted, London, UK
2021 l The Portrait Project, Finalist, Lucie Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
2020 l PHmuseum 2020 Women Photographers Grant, Shortlisted, Phmuseum, Bologna, Italy
2020 l Photo London Emerging Photographer of the Year Award, Shortlisted, Photo London Fair, London, UK
2020l Annual Student Exhibition, 2D award winner, The Glassell School of Arts/Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, USA
2019 l Top 50 Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland OR, USA
2019 l City's Initiative Grant, Houston Arts Alliance, Houston TX, USA
2019 l The Residency Program April-Sept, Future Front Texas Austin TX, USA
2019 l Houston Artadia Fellowship, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2018 l Giard Robert Fellowship Finalist, The Robert Giard Foundation, New York, NY, USA
2018 l Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Glassell Scholarship - Photography / Glassell School of Art, Houston,TX, USA
LECTURES / WORKSHOPS:
2023 | Panelist, "Expression is rare, I dare you," Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, TX, USA
2023 | Workshop, Pushing the Boundaries of Collage, Penland School of Craft, Penland NC, USA
2023 | In conversation with Cynthia Woods Mitchell Assistant Curator at the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston, Erika Mei Chua Holum, Larsen Koslov, Houston TX, USA
2022 | In conversation with Senior Curator at Public Art Fund NY, Allison Glenn, online
2022 | Panelist, Photography on the Blockchain, Fotofest, Houston TX, USA
2022 l Artist lecture, Texas Woman's University, Denton TX, USA
2022 l Artist lecture, Texas A&M University, College Station TX, USA
2021 l Kids workshop, Pictura Gallery at FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, Bloomington IN, USA
2020 l Mentor, Artadia Houston fellowship 2020, Artadia, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2020 l Jury, Artadia Houston fellowship 2020, Artadia, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2019 l Presentation, Artadia Fellowship, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX, USA
2019 l Artist talk, Meet Her Hands, Elisabet Ney Museum, Austin TX, USA
2019 l Jury, Fall photography show, Episcopal High School, Houston, TX, USA
2019 l Panelist, Alternate Pathways, The Union Gallery, Houston, TX
2018 l Artist talk, A Feminine Perspective, HCC Northline, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l Artist Talk, Learning Curve 11 presented by Haley Berkman Karren, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, USA
2018 l Panelist, Mujeres del Sur, The Union Gallery, Houston, TX
PUBLIC WORKS:
2024 l [ON VIEW] "We See You," Parking Meter Artistic Intervention, UP Art Studio & Downtown District, Houston, TX, USA
2024 l [ON VIEW] “El Lado Oculto de la Luna,” Digital Display IKE Smart, Orange Barrel Media, 90+ Houston locations
2024 | “El Lado Oculto de la Luna,” Public Art Project across subway line and Palermo neighborhood, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2022 l Public Art digital display IKE Smart, Curated by Allison Glenn, Orange Barrel Media, 40+ Houston locations
2021 l Site-specific Artistic Intervention, Weingarten Art Group, City Centre, Houston TX, USA
2020-2021 l Public Art year-round traveling photography project, Photoville FENCE, Atlanta GA, Brooklyn NY, Denver CO, Durham NC, Houston TX, Sarasota FL, Seattle WA, Winchester MA, New Orleans LA, Fargo and West Fargo ND, Moorhead MN, Calgary Canada
2020 l [ON VIEW] Public Art Storefront commission, WindowWorks, UP Art Studio & Downtown District, Houston, TX, USA
2019 l Public Art Photography commission, The Oral History, City of Sugar Land, Sugar Land, TX, USA
2019 l Public Art billboards, LAN! Conference, Latino Art Now!, Houston Texas, USA
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
2024 | Citybook, Popular FotoFest Shows Continue through May: Here Are Our Can't-Miss Picks
2024 | Lenscratch, Al día con Karen Navarro: políticas de visualidad, maternidad y arte público
2024 | Lenscratch, Catching up with Karen Navarro: on the politics of visibility, motherhood, and public art
2024 | Tiempo Argentino, Un retrato diferente de las raíces indígenas: «El lado oculto de la luna»
2023 | Colossal, Karen Navarro Puzzles and Stacks Fragmented Portraits Into Explorations of Identity by Kate Mothes
2023 l ARTnews, The Best Booths at Expo Chicago, From Pleated Knots to Poignant Works About Memory by Max Duron, press
2023 l Lenscratch, Karen Navarro "Somos Millones" at Foto Relevance (now Koslov Larsen), interview
2023 l Dovetail, Karen Navarro pieces together ancestral narratives, article
2023| Liberation, A la Sorbonne et l’ENS, un colloque pour déconstruire les idées reçues sur la «déconstruction», press
2022 l EXIT, Issue #87, Tipologías del Retrato/ Portrait Typologies
2022 l Photo Wolrd Magazine (China), Karen Navarro: Building Yourself, interview
2022 | Internazionale, Parlasi Dentro by Caroline Williams, press
2022 l Art Dirt Podcast, Discussing Recent Exhibitions about America, press
2022 l Not Real Art, ‘América Utópica:’ Karen Navarro Constructs Her Own Shining City on a Hill, article
2022 l The Hopper Prize, Karen Navarro on the organic evolution of a practice, interview
2022 l Aesthetica Magazine, Expanded Photography: Collage and cut outs, article
2022 l Musee Magazine, Woman Crush Wednesday: Karen Navarro, interview
2021 l Houstonia Magazine, 3 Women Artists Who Are Redefining Portrait Photography in Houston, article
2021 l Rolling Stone Italia, Karen Navarro: la fotografia ai confini dell’identità by Manuelaanamaria Accinno, article
2021 l Travel & Leisure Magazine, Houston Might Be the Most Exciting City for Art in the United States, July issue, press
2021 l Aesthetica Magazine, The Constructed Self, printed magazine
2020 l Lensculture, The Contructed Self by Liz Sales, interview
2020 l The Guardian, Best of Photo London Digital 2020 – in pictures, press
2020 | FOA, In the studio with Karen Navarro, interview
2020 l A Women’s Thing, Artist Karen Navarro Investigates Identity as a Social Construct, interview
2020 l Slowed and Throwed: Records of the City Through Mutated Lenses, Exhibition catalog CAMH, publication
2020 l FOA, COVER artist, Vol. 12, publication
2020 l Harper's Magazine, New Books review By Lidija Haas, May issue, press
2020 l ARTnews, Free Money: Artadia’s Unrestricted Grants Are All About Believing in Artists, Spring Issue/The money issue, press/interview
2020 l OBSERVER, Spring’s Best Museum Shows Celebrate the Influence of Daring Experimentalists, press
2020 l The Jealous Curator, Artist feature, press
2020 l Firecracker, Artist of the month feature, press
2020 l Texas Monthly, A New Museum Exhibit Places DJ Screw’s Legacy Front and Center, press
2020 l Float Magazine, Artist feature, press
2019 l SPOT Magazine, The Constructed Self: An Interview with Karen Navarro, fall issue, interview
2019 l Aint Bad, vol 14, October, publication
2019 l Lenscratch, Karen Navarro El Pertenecer en Tiempos Modernos, press
2018 l Curated by Girls, Artist feature, press
2018 l PHmuseum, Constructing New Identities on Social Media, interview
2017 l Create Magazine, vol. 7, December, publication