Biography / CV
Elsa María Meléndez
Elsa María Meléndez born in Caguas, Puerto Rico (1974) with a 28-year artistic career. Exhibiting collectively in more than 95 exhibitions in the United States, Uruguay, Cuba, Ireland, Romania, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. In 2024-2025, Meléndez participated in the 15th Havana Biennial in an exhibition considered a milestone in the history of the National Museum of Havana because it was the first exhibition of Caribbean women artists organized by that museum. //"Vengo de una isla de confusión" (2023) is Meléndez’s first solo museum exhibition outside of Puerto Rico. In 2022 the exhibition traveled to the Alabama Contemporary Art Center, Mobile, Alabama. Awards and Distinctions (selection): (2024): 10th UBS Prize for Contemporary Artists, acquisition prize from the Puerto Rico Museum of Art (2024): Establish Artist Grant from TENDER: A Caribbean Arts Regranting Initiative, Fresh Milk Art Platform, and the Barbados National Cultural Foundation (2023): Studios MASS MoCA, Fellowship for Artists from Puerto Rico, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA (2022): Commended Artist, Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (2022): People’s Choice Award, Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (2020): Fondo Caribeño de Emergencia COVID -19 para Artistas de Puerto Rico, Beta- Local, San Juan, P.R. (2019): Award: Flamboyan Artist Fellowship Award in partnership with NALAC National Association of Latin Arts and Culture, San Antonio, TX. (2017): Nominated for the 2019 USA Fellowship, United States Artists, Chicago, IL (2014): Nominated retrospective exhibition of the year,Perreta al argumento: 18 años de producción Elsa María Meléndez, International Association of Art Critics, Puerto Rico Chapter, San Juan, P.R. (2011): Fondo Puertorriqueño para el Financiamiento del Quehacer Cultural (FPFQC) Grant, Oficina de Apoyo a las Artes del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, P.R. (2009): Lexus Grant, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Honorable Mention, First Contest of Young Art, Oriental Bank, San Juan, P.R. (2006): First Prize in Engraving, Fine Arts Contest, Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, P.R. (2001): Honorable Mention in Engraving, Fine Arts Contest, Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, P.R.
Her work is included in the contemporary art collections of the Rollins Museum of Art, Florida; Glendale Community College in California; Newcomb Art Museum at Tulane University, New Orleans; Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico; La Casa de Las Américas in Havana; Museo de Arte de Ponce; Ateneo Puertorriqueño; Lolita Rubial Foundation in Minas, Uruguay; Museo de Arte de Caguas and Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. Her work has also been reviewed in "Hinca por ahí, escritos sobre artes y asuntos limítrofes", Nelson Rivera, Ediciones Callejón (2016), "Frescos: 50 Puerto Rican Artists under 35", Celina Nogueras, Muuaaa (2011) and, in the catalog published by Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña "Perreta al argumento: 18 años de producción de Elsa María Meléndez" (2015), among others. After completing the Fine Arts bachelor’s degree at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, she studied curatorship, registration and collection management at the Smithsonian Center for Education Museum Studies in Washington, D.C. and in SUAGM in Gurabo, Puerto Rico.Solo exhibitions: (2023): Retoñar – Sprout Again: Elsa María Meléndez, Edge Zones Art Center, L’Artban, Miami, Florida, EE.UU. (2023): I come from an island of confusion (Vengo de una isla de confusión), Rollins Museum of Art, L’Artban, Winter Park. (2022): I come from an island of confusion, Alabama Contemporary Art Center, L’Artban, Mobile Alabama. (2014 - 2015): Perreta al argumento: 18 years of production by Elsa María Meléndez, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2014): Nido (Nest), collaborations between Zinthia Vázquez and Elsa María Meléndez, Galería Guatíbiri, San Juan, P.R. (2012): La nube y El paredón de los peluches (The Cloud and The Wall of Stuffed Animals), AREA: Lugar de proyectos, Caguas, P.R. (2012): La costumbre de la nada (The habit of nothingness), site-specific installation, Zinthia Vázquez and Elsa María Meléndez, Metro: plataformaorganizada, San Juan, P.R. (2010): El ingenio colectivo o la maldición de la cotorra (Collective ingenuity or the curse of the parrot), Lexus with the Arts Grant, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Los cuentos que no me hizo mi abuela (The stories that my grandmother didn't make me), Galería 356, San Juan, P.R. (2005): Pequeñas bestias II, (Small Beasts II), engravings by Elsa María Meléndez, Delta de Picó Gallery, Art Students League of San Juan, San Juan, P.R. (2004): Pequeñas bestias (Small Beasts), engravings by Elsa María Meléndez, Alternative Art Gallery, Museo de Arte de Caguas, Caguas, P.R.
Group exhibitions (selection): (2025): Gráfica Vital (Vital Engraiving), Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, P.R. (2025 - 2024): La tradición se rompe, pero cuesta (Tradition is Broken, but It Costs), Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts), Havana, Cuba (2025 - 2019): Puerto Rico Plural, Permanent Collection, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico (2024) Poli/Gráfica de Puerto Rico: América Latina y El Caribe, Museo Arsenal de La Marina, S.J., P.R. (2024): The Outwin 2022, American Portraiture Today, Grand Rapids Art Museum, MI (2024): The Outwin 2022, American Portraiture Today, Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, MA. (2023): The Outwin 2022, American Portraiture Today, Ackland Art Museum, NC. (2023): The Outwin 2022, American Portraiture Today, Orlando Museum of Art, FL. (2022): The Outwin 2022, American Portraiture Today, National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC (2022): Novenario (Novena), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Museum of Contemporary Art MAC), San Juan, P.R. (2020): A Isla Miento, La Casa del Libro Museum, San Juan, P.R. (2020): Small Format 9, La Casa de los Contrafuertes, San Juan, P.R. (2020): Document, Galería Embajada (Embassy Gallery), San Juan, P.R. (2020): Intervenidas, Museo de las Américas, San Juan, P.R. (2020): Anarquía y dialéctica del deseo (Anarchy and Dialectics in Desire), Museum of Contemporary Art MAC, San Juan, P.R. (2020): Beasts Like Me: Feminism and Fantasy, Bronx Art Space, The Bronx, N.Y. (2020): We are here to serve you, Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries, Parsons The New School for Design, New York, USA. (2019): Inhabiting, Turabo Valley Hall, Dr. Josefina Camacho De la Nuez Museum and Center for Humanistic Studies, Ana G. Méndez University, Gurabo, P.R. (2019): The 50 years of the League, Liga de Estudiantes de Arte, Museo de las Américas, San Juan, P.R. (2019): Artifact Room, Subculture Institute, San Juan, P.R. (2019): Puerto Rico: Interior / Exterior, The Art Gallery, Glendale Community College, Los Angeles, C.A. (2019): Nexos, Museo de Arte de Bayamón, Bayamón, P.R. (2019): The Joke is on you, Galería Embajada, San Juan, P.R. (2018): Puerto Rico Defying Darkness, 516 Arts, Albuquerque, New Mexico. (2018 - 2017): Entredichos, New Acquisitions, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Juan, P.R (2017): Puerto Rico is Alive, Red Dot Miami, Petrus Gallery, Miami, Florida (2017): Beyond the Canvas: Contemporary Art from Puerto Rico, Newcomb Art Museum, Tulane University, New Orleans, L.A. (2017): Terrícolas 2 (Earthlings 2), Artlab, San Juan, P.R. (2017): Vortices: Admín Torres, Anaida Hernández and Elsa María Meléndez, Arte @ Plaza, Plaza Las Américas, San Juan, P. R. (2016): V Bronx Latin Art Biennial, Longwood Art Gallery, Hostos Center for the Arts, Hostos Community College, Bronx, N.Y. (2016): Art and Resilience, Museum of Contemporary Art MAC, San Juan, P.R. (2016): Terrícolas (Earthlings), ArtLab, San Juan, P.R. (2016): El viaje de la estampa (The journey of the imprint, Tribute to Lorenzo Homar), Complejo Cultural BUAP Gallery, Puebla, Mexico. (2015): Frescos, citizens of nowhere, University of Sacred Heart Gallery, San Juan, P.R. (2015): WOCA Triennial, Walter Otero Gallery, San Juan, P.R. (2015): Manipulations or the recoding of the medium, Proyecto Local, San Juan, PR. (2015): Lorenzo Homar, Puerto Rican graphic tribute, Espacio Abierto Gallery, Havana, Cuba. (2015): Lorenzo Homar, Tributo gráfico puertorriqueño, José A. Torres Martinó Exhibition Hall, School of Architecture, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR. (2014): Exhibition Portfolio Homage to Myrna Báez, Casa Cortés Foundation, San Juan, P.R. (2014): La casa en ti y en mi, homage to the Henry Klumb House, Student University Center, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, P.R. (2014): Nube, Liga de Estudiantes de Arte, San Juan, P.R. (2014): ABC Vol. III Artistas Boricuas Contemporáneos, 20/20, San Juan, P.R. (2013): Algo con F (Something with F), Dobleó, San Juan, P.R. (2013): De fábulas y quimeras (Of fables and chimeras), Area: lugar de proyectos, Caguas, P.R. (2013): Colective II, Dobleó, San Juan, P.R. (2013): Muestra Nacional de Arte Puertorriqueño (National Exhibition of Puerto Rican Art), Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2013): La Mini Solo Proyectos (The Mini Solo Projects), La Productora, San Juan, P.R. (2013): Colective I, Dobleó, San Juan, P.R. (2012): Smart Action, Hostos College, Bronx, N.Y. (2012): Equipaje compartido (Shared luggage), Galería Nacional de Bellas Artes, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana. (2012): III Trienal Poli/ Gráfica de San Juan: América Latina y el Caribe, El Panal/The Hive, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, La Puntilla, S.J., P.R. (2012): Doble Filo (Double Edge), La Galería, Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, Boston, M.A. (2011): Cuerpo presente, Cuatro proyectos especiales (Present body, Four special projects), Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, P.R. (2011): Patrones, hilvanes y calcos (Patterns, basting stitches and tracings), Casa Rectoría, Museo y Centro de Estudios Humanísticos, Universidad del Turabo, Gurabo, P.R. (2011): Carry-On: Puerto Rico Inspected, La Galería, Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, Boston, M.A. (2011): Fase 1, artistas de la Metro, Metro: plataformaorganizada, San Juan, P.R. (2011): Pocket, Cart Wash, San Juan, P.R. (2011): Serie Regional de los Jugadores Pampers, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2011): Entre líneas, Frade y el dibujo contemporáneo, Museo de Arte Dr. Pío López Martínez, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus, P.R. (2010): See What I Mean, Taller Boricua, Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center, NYC, N.Y. (2009): NADA Art Fair, The Deauville Beach Resort, Miami Beach, FL. (2009): Muestra Nacional de Arte Puertorriqueño (National Exhibition of Puerto Rican Art), Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2009): Re/velar, Museo de Arte Dr. Pío López Martínez, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus, Cayey, P.R. (2009): Museo de Misterios Naturales (Museum of Natural Mysteries), The Nomad Project, Casa Cortés Foundation, San Juan, P.R. (2009): Publica, III Trienal Poligráfica de San Juan, América Latina y El Caribe, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2009): Revista Orificio, Publicación independiente, III Trienal Poligráfica de San Juan, América Latina y El Caribe, Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2009): Circa ’09, International Art Fair, Galería 356, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Hipódromo 610, cutting edge contemporary art from the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, Hipódromo # 610, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Tránsito y transiciones, gráfica contemporánea (Transit and transitions, contemporary graphics), Museo de Arte Dr. Pío López Martínez, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus, P.R. (2008): DLL después del llanto, Emergencia Gráfica (DLL after crying, Graphic Emergency), Galería Guatíbiri, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Primer Certamen de Arte Joven (1st Young Art Competition), Oriental Bank, San Juan, P.R. (2008): Proyecto de Renovación y Expansión, Programa de vídeo (Renovation and Expansion Project, Video Program), Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, P.R. (2008): III International Experimental Engraving Biennial, Brancovan Palaces Cultural Center, Mogosoaia, Romania. (2008): Adquisiciones (Acquisitions), Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (2007): Persistencia en el Grabado Puertorriqueño (Persistence in Puerto Rican Engraving), Museo de Las Américas, Cuartel de Ballajá, San Juan, P.R. (2007): America’s Paradise and Isla del Encanto: Contemporary Art from the American Caribbean, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), Boston, M.A. (2007): El Pulpo, Papo Colo´s Project, Circa ’07, Galería Nacional, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan (2007): Perdóname madre, soy grabador, Emergencia Gráfica (Forgive me mother, I am an engraver, Graphic Emergency), Liga de Estudiantes de Arte de San Juan, San Juan, P.R. (2007): Sin Envoltura (Without Wrapping), Galería 356, San Juan, P.R. (2007): Emergencia gráfica... juego, objeto, estampa (Graphic emergency... game, object, print), Circa’07 International Art Fair, Galería 356, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2007): Batón delante, nueva emergencia de artistas en Puerto Rico (Baton in front, a new emergence of artists in Puerto Rico), Museo Casa Roig, Humacao, P.R. (2006): Certamen de Artes Plásticas (Fine Arts Competition), Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, P.R. (2006): Tráfico pesado (Heavy traffic), Galería 356, San Juan, P.R. (2006): Tri Tra - grabado experimental (Tri Tra - experimental printmaking), =DESTO, San Juan, P.R. (2006): Muestra Nacional de Arte, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2006): First Semester 2006 - Inter Engraving 2005, First International Hall of Small Engraving, Lolita Rubial Foundation, Minas, Uruguay. (2006): Circa ’06, International Art Fair, AREA, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2005): VI Certamen Nacional de Artes Plásticas (VI National Fine Arts Competition), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan, P.R. (2005): Duelo: 9 grabadores jóvenes (Duel: 9 young engravers), Museo de Arte de Caguas, Caguas, P.R. (2005): IV Printmaking Festival, Èvora, Portugal. (2005): Homar se escribe con H, Tributo gráfico a Lorenzo Homar, Departamento de Estado, San Juan, P.R. (2003): Muestra de Arte Nacional, Museo Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina, La Puntilla, San Juan, P.R. (2002-2001): Correspondencias, diálogo con Ramón Frade (Correspondences, dialogue with Ramón Frade), Museo de Arte Dr. Pío López, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus, Puerto Rico. (2001): Certamen de Artes Plásticas (Fine Arts Competition), Ateneo Puertorrriqueño, San Juan, P.R. (2000): Expressions, Convento Los Dominicos, San Juan, P.R. (2000): Extraídos vueltos a traer (Extracted and brought back), UPR Alumni, Galería Francisco Oller, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (2000 – 1999): Cuentario: imágenes para futuros cuentos (Storybook: images for future stories), Museo de la Historia de Ponce, Ponce, P.R. (1999): Artículo Femenino (Feminine Article), Biblioteca Escuela de Derecho, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (1999): Cuarta Bienal Certamen de Artes Plásticas (Fourth Biennial Fine Arts Competition), Museo Casa Roig, Humacao, P.R. (1998): 1st Northern Ireland International Small Print Exhibition, The Townhouse Gallery, Belfast, Ireland. (1998): Certamen de Artes Plásticas Ateneo Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Athenaeum Fine Arts Competition), San Juan, P.R. (1997): 17 Cadaqués Mini Print, England, France, Spain. (1997): Expo Graduandos (Graduate Expo), Galería Francisco Oller, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R.
Readings and panels (selection): (2024): Speaker, Theoretical Event "The Inclusion of Knowledge. A Look Beyond Art", 15th Havana Biennial, Shared Horizon, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, La Habana, Cuba. (2023): “Unseal the lips, tighten the threads: creative process and career of Elsa María Meléndez”, Department of Painting, School of Fine Arts and Design of Puerto Rico, (Despegar los labios, apretar los hilos: proceso creativo y trayectoria de Elsa María Meléndez), S.J., P.R. (2023): “Unseal the lips, tighten the threads”, Art NOW! Lecture, Columbia College, Chicago, EE.UU. (2023): Artist Talk with curator Dr. Gisela Carbonell and Elsa Meléndez, I come from an island of confusion, Rollins Museum of Art, Winter Park, Florida, EE.UU. (2022): I come from an island of confusion, Artist lecture, Alabama Contemporary Art Center, Mobile, Alabama, EE.UU. (2019): “Sewing in contemporary artistic practice and a perverse look at gender traditions”, Art and Gender Course, Art History Program (La costura en la práctica artística contemporánea y una mirada perversa hacia las tradiciones de género), Department of Humanities, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, P.R
Online Bibliography (selection): -Rodríguez Acevedo, Jorge. Revista Plástica, “El tiempo cíclico según la artista Elsa María Meléndez” (2025, June). Recuperado: 11 de septiembre de 2025 de: https://www.revistaplasticapr.org/post/el-tiempo-ciclico-segun-la-artista-elsa-mariamelendez?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLOxedleHRuA2FlbQExAAEeRp9m_7zkQ1m0e_JDTpa8ozBghDCPJl_eO mlp3aV2Ys2_bUkd8chORhI9aZM_aem_O6ZZ3wz2Xx-XwXrfaU-yKA -
Fresh Milk. Interview Elsa María Meléndez – Tender Grantee 2024 (2025, June). Recuperado: 11 de septiembre de 2025 de: https://freshmilkbarbados.com/projects/tender/tender-grantees-2024-interviews/elsa-mariamelendez/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLOv0VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqy5gteWZ_RYJzNLcG2CSOfUdRgJTYI nOiCVIDjvtA4CD6HOz1u_qdZYrraF_aem_Lm585qRjOX4mnvpWCRtPgw -
Zubizarreta, Denise, “Elsa María Meléndez: Sewing Resistance, Stitching Truths (2025, March). Recuperado: 11 de septiembre de 2025 de: https://latinamedia.co/elsa-mariamelendez/?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwKotgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp__y5uHastpweJsRLA6EEZQmzTvYzzWFsjxRcSO-BUFbonf9OLCM7RfpoFp_aem_qfL9SntGbcuzpedWpQP8bA -
Puerto Rico Art News: https://www.puertoricoartnews.com/2024/11/elsa-maria-melendez-representarapuerto.html#google_vignette https://eladoquintimes.com/2024/11/15/artista-puertorriquena-elsa-maria-melendez-exhibe-instalacion-enla-bienal-de-la-habana-cuba -
Zubizarreta, Denise, “Sumptuous Textiles Tell a Story of Inequality” (2023, August). Recuperado: 11 de septiembre de 2025 de: https://hyperallergic.com/840345/elsa-maria-melendez-sumptuous-textiles-tell-a-story-of-inequality https://flamingomag.com/2023/05/03/rethinking-gender-roles-with-artist-elsa-maria-melendez-at-therollins-museum-of https://www.rollins.edu/rma/exhibitions/2023/elsa-maria-melendez-i-come-from-an-island-ofconfusion.html