We are so pleased to feature the beautiful work of artist Beatriz Vasquez in our lobby and on the Keith O. Norwalk and Steve L. Hamilton Gallery Wall in our Basile Collaboration Center. Her colorful paper cut pieces will be on display through December 31, so please make arrangements with us to come see them!
Beatriz Vasquez is an international cultural ambassador visual artist, inspired by her Mexican heritage, ancestry and border culture. Her work experiments with the conceptual use of the Mexican folkloric Art of Papel Picado, incorporating the versatility of paper and transforming layers of intricacy into murals, wearable sculptures, storytelling and large scale installations. Beatriz is a Teaching Artist focused on Chicana identity, cultural memory, social justice and advocates on the sustainability and accessibility of papel. Vasquez received her BFA in 2006 from Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and Design but is a self taught Papel Picado Inspired Artist and Sculptor.
Beatriz collaborated with the Indiana State Museum on Art that Speaks Out; focusing on the visibility of migrant workers and advocates for health and safety for all workers during a worldwide pandemic with the California Domestic Workers Coalition; and the Arts Council of Indianapolis’ El Tendedero Project where Vasquez featured NO MEANS NO a large scaled paper dress installation. Stop the Violence against Women and Children and NO Means NO!, creating open discussions of sexual violence and abuse. Vasquez was one of six Indianapolis international artists participating in the Arts for Learning, Third Space, a 2x fellow of the U.S.A Arts in Embassies under Ambassador Maria Brewer in Sierra Leone, Africa and Maseru Lesotho, Africa, a fellow of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Root Division in San Francisco, CA. Beatriz is a recipient of the Arts Council of Indianapolis 2015 Creative Renewal Grant and 2020 DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award. She is a fellow of CICF, the National Latino Association of Art and Culture, IU Traditional Arts Indiana, the Migrant Leadership Program of Southern Indiana and the Center for Climate Power Oakland, Ca. Vasquez is a fellow of IUPUI Arts & Humanities and a member of the Create Indy Advisory Council for the City of Indianapolis, IN. She is a Visiting Artist at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and a Teaching Artist with ARTS for Learning IN ABC Fellowship. Vasquez Solo exhibitions include the Kurt Vonnegut Library & Museum, Herron School of Art & Design, Richmond Art Museum, 924 Gallery, Harrison Center, Goshen University, IUPUI Herron School of Art Gallery. International exhibitions include Shanghai International Paper Art Biennale and U.S.A Embassy Africa. Vasquez has an extensive art residency history in Mexico City, Santiago Chile, Los Angeles, Lesotho Maseru Africa, San Francisco, CA and Columbus OH and Indianapolis, IN.
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Artist Statement
My creative practice is committed to creating social change through papel, focusing on breaking stereotypical notions of marginalization, racial equality in the arts, honoring cultural knowledge, ancestry and handcrafted skills to the forefront.
