Scherezade García is a painter, printmaker, and installation artist whose work often explores allegories of history, migration, collective and ancestral memory, and cultural colonization and politics. A co-founder of the Dominican York Proyecto GRÁFICA, she holds an AAS from Altos de Chavón School of Design, a BFA from Parsons School of Design | The New School, and an MFA from The City College of New York, CUNY. García has been featured in solo and duo exhibitions at the Art Museum of the Americas, Clifford Art Gallery at Colgate University, Miller Theater at Columbia University, Lehman College Art Gallery, Crossroads Gallery at the University of Notre Dame, Museo de Arte de Santo Domingo and others. She has participated in the Havana Biennial, the International Biennial of Paintings at Haute de Cagnes, the IV Caribbean Biennial, Trienal Poli/Gráfica de San Juan, Latin American Biennial, BRIC Biennial, Venice Autonomous Biennial, and international fairs. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Art Museum of the Americas, El Museo del Barrio, The Housatonic Museum of Art, El Museo de Arte Moderno in Santo Domingo, Nasher Museum @ Duke University, Mellon Foundation, Blanton Museum of Art, The Hudson River Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and other.

García is the recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant (2015) and the Colene Brown Art Prize (2020). An edited monograph on her work Scherezade García: From This Side of the Atlantic, was published in 2020 by the Art Museum of the Americas. She is a member of the Artist Advisory Council of Arts Connection and No Longer Empty. She sits on the Board of Directors of the College Art Association (2020-2024), and the Board of Women& their work in Austin,TX.

García is represented by Praxis Art Gallery [link: https://www.praxis- art.com/en/artist/scherezade-garcia/ in New York, IBIS Contemporary Art Gallery https://ibisartgallery.com/artist/scherezade-garcia) in New Orleans. Her artist's papers can be found at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Garcia is an assistant Professor at The University of Texas @ Austin. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, and Austin, TX.

How did you develop an interest in the humanities/humanistic social sciences, and what led you to your academic career?

It has always been in me. My father dedicated forty years to teaching at the university, and the influence of my grandmother and great-aunts, all educators, permeated my upbringing. As an artist, the solitary nature of studio practice held immense importance, yet I couldn't ignore the compelling elements of discussion, questioning, and community building.

Teaching became my platform for these expressions. Involving myself in teaching, developing syllabi, and being in touch with the evolving needs of a new generation and the transformations in art and society allowed me to bridge my career with a broader sense of purpose. The result of the bridging is that my teaching continues my studio practice.

My journey took a more formal turn in 2010 when I embraced an official academic role at Parsons as a part-time assistant professor. Since 2021, I have been a tenure-track assistant professor at The University of Texas @ Austin. This transition marked a significant step, enabling me to contribute to the education of emerging artists and engage more deeply with the academic aspects of the field.

What advice do you have for students to succeed in their future career paths? 

I believe discipline provides the structure needed to pursue goals and weather challenges. It's not just about routine but about commitment and focus. Having faith in one's perspective is like having a compass, providing direction and conviction even when faced with opposition. It's about standing firm in your beliefs, a crucial element in personal growth.

To be an agent of change rather than a passive follower is empowering. It means actively contributing to positive transformations, embracing creativity, and challenging the norm for the better.

Openness and adaptability are keys to navigating life's twists and turns. Embracing change allows for continuous learning and growth. This flexibility helps in coping with unforeseen circumstances and enables the identification of opportunities that might be hidden within challenges.

Could you tell us about some of the research projects you have currently underway?

I am currently working on an Interdisciplinary project titled AQUA FIRME, a collaboration between my sister and visual artist Iliana Emilia Garcia (https://www.ilianaemilia.com/)

The project started with a commission at Pittsburgh University, a two-person exhibition in ASR Contemporary Gallery in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and will continue in Puerto Rico. A book about the project is in process.

About AGUA FIRME:

Through video, sound and sculpture, artists Iliana Emilia García and Scherezade García explore how maritime culture shaped the historical and social construction of Las Americas. Agua Firme is a specially commissioned site-specific installation in the Gallery’s historic Rotunda. This exhibition will open to the public during the Latin American and Caribbean Festival on September 23.

What are you passionate about in your field?

I am passionate about the endless forms of expression that the field provides.