desialvarez@aol.com
Desirée Alvarez is an award winning painter/poet exploring connections between plants, animals, and humans through a spectrum that includes painting, drawing, installation, fabric, animation, and printmaking.
POETRY PUBLICATIONS
Books:
2020
Raft of Flame, Omnidawn Lake Merritt Contest Award, selected by Hoa Nguyen, Omnidawn Publishing
2016
Devil’s Paintbrush, May Sarton New Hampshire Book Award, Bauhan Publishing
Anthologies:
2022
Stronger Than Fear: Poems of Empowerment, Compassion, and Social Justice, edited by Carol Alexander and Stephen Massimilla, Cave Moon Press
2020
Uni-Verse Poetry – Prints – Proofs by Visionary Humans, edited by Anna Ehrsam and Katherine Jackson, Battery Journal
2019
Other Musics: New Latina Poetry, edited by Cynthia Cruz, University of Oklahoma Press What Nature, edited by Timothy Donnelly, B.K. Fischer, and Stefania Heim, MIT Press
2016
The Traveler’s Vade Mecum, edited by Helen Klein Ross, Red Hen Press
Poems published in journals including The Iowa Review, Ecotone Magazine, Lit Hub, The Massachusetts Review, Poetry Magazine, Fence Magazine, Prairie Schooner, La Presa Journal, Boston Review, Denver Quarterly, Black Renaissance Noire, Luna Luna Magazine. Pushcart Prize nomination, 2011; Finalist National Poetry Series 2019, 2011; Finalist, Boston Review Annual Award, 2016, 2013, 2008; Finalist, The Iowa Review Poetry Prize, 2011; Finalist, Dorset Prize, Tupelo Press, 2011
AWARDS
2021
Foundation for Contemporary Art Grant, New York, NY
2018
Omnidawn Lake Merritt Poetry Award, book award for Raft of Flame, selected by Hoa Nguyun
Brooklyn Poets Whitman Bicentennial Poetry Contest Award, selected by Mark Doty
2015
May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize, Bauhan Press, book award for Devil’s Paintbrush
2013-2014
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace Grant 2011 New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship Award
2011
New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship Award
Prairie Schooner Glenna Luschei Poetry Award
2006
Urban Artist Initiative/ NYC Special Project Grant for New Work
2005
Cork 2005 European Cultural Capital Award, Ireland
2003
New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship Award
2001
The Robert D. Richardson Non-Fiction Award, Denver Quarterly
1998
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Willard L. Metcalf Award
1997
New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship Award
SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND LARGE SCALE INSTALLATIONS
2023
On the Waterfront, curated by Maddy Rosenberg, BWAC, Brooklyn, NY
2020-2022
Plant Cure, Brooklyn Botanic Garden Conservatory Garden, Plant Cure/Brooklyn Botanic Garden, March – November exhbition of work created during year long artist residency
2019
Plant Cure/Brooklyn exhibiton, Long Island University Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017
Rendez Vous des Singuliers/Davejean, Davejean, France, installation New York City Poetry Festival, installation & interactive performance, Governors Island, NY, NY
2016
Amor Fati, animated video featured at Luna Luna Magazine, http://www.lunalunamagazine.com/blog/a-video-poem-by-desire-alvarez
2015
Back to Life, New York Foundation for the Arts, curated by David Terry, St. Ann’s Church, Brooklyn, NY
2014
Solo painting exhibition, Central Booking Gallery, New York, NY Uncanny Spaces, Bennington College, Bennington, VT
2013
Solo painting exhibition, Piermont Straus Gallery, Piermont, NY Text Out Of Context, Hewitt Gallery of Art, Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY
Booked, Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, Easton, PA
2012
The Print Booked, NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) Galleries, New Orleans, LA
Phoolan Devi Opera Project, sets and costumes, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
2011
Of Weeds and Wildness: Nature in Black & White, Mandeville Gallery, Union College, Union, NY
2011-2010
Book of Birds installation, Central Booking Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2010
New Prints, International Print Center New York, New York, NY, curated by Philip Pearlstein
Solo painting exhibition, Minor Memorial Gallery, Roxbury, CT
2009
Other Other II High Visibility, Nathan Cummings Foundation, New York, NY
2008
Artist Commentary, International Print Center New York, New York, NY,
2007
4 Women, Taller Boricua, New York, NY
2006
Vanishing Point, California University of Pennsylvania, California, PA
CORK 2005, Sirius Arts Center, Cobh, Ireland
Paris/New York, Center for Book Arts, New York, NY
Dialogue, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
2005 Solo exhibition, Le Temple, Lacaze, France
Dialogue, Abrons Art Center, New York, NY
Innovations in Contemporary Printmaking, Housatonic Museum, Bridgeport, CT,
Dialogue, Cité des Arts, Paris, France
Going Under, painting installation, film directed by Eric Werthman, starring Roger Rees
2004
Impresionante! Innovative Prints by Contemporary Puerto Rican Artists, International Print Center, New York, NY
The Alumni Show, Zilkha Gallery, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
2003
Solo exhibition, SUNY Rockland, Rotunda Gallery, Rockland, NY Sideshow, Queens Theater in the Park, Queens, NY
Solo exhibition, Koussevitzky Art Gallery, Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA
2001
Solo exhibition, St. Peter’s Church, New York, NY
1998
Solo exhibition, Art Resource Transfer Inc., New York, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Among Friends, Equity Gallery, New York, NY
2021
Weatherproof! NDSM Fuse Wunderkammer, Amsterdam, Holland
Telephone, International Collaborative Project, curated by Nathan Langston
2019
Art on Paper Fair, Pier 36, Central Booking Gallery, New York, NY
Among Friends, Entre Amigos, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, New York, NY
Studio Stars, Roxbury, CT
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Auction, New York, NY
2018
Among Friends, Brooklyn, NY
Fossil Tales, Central Booking Gallery, New York, NY
Sympathetic Magic, Westbeth Gallery, New York, NY
2016
The Secret Laws of Art, Portfolio Project, 3G, New York, NY
Central Booking Gallery, group exhibition
2015
Rema Hort Mann Foundation Art Auction, New York, NY Print Exhibiton curated by Roberta Waddell, National Arts Club Grammercy Park, New York, NY
2013
thREAD, Central Booking Gallery, New York, NY The Readymade Flea, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, NY New Prints 2012, Visual Arts Gallery, University of Texas/Austin, Austin, TX
2012
Winter Benefit exhibition, New York International Print Center New York, NY
Autumn Prints, exhibition New York International Print Center New York, NY Love & Heartbreak, Piermont Straus Gallery, Piermont, NY
2011
Oceans, Rivers and the Fish that Swim, Piermont Straus Gallery, Piermont, NY Group exhibition, Condemned to be Free, Satellite Space, Central Booking Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Women Artists, New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY
2009
New Prints Winter, International Print Center New York, New York, NY
New Prints, Anchor Graphics, Columbia College, Chicago, IL
Faculty Exhibit, Grace Gallery, New York City College of Technology, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
Hispanic Women Artists, Grace Gallery, New York City College of Technology, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
Weather Report, an international drawing collaborative, Ajara Art Museum, Batumi, Georgia
2008
New Prints 2007/08, International Print Center New York, New York, NY
Group exhibition, Gallery 4H, Philadelphia, PA
Faculty Exhibit, Grace Gallery, New York City College of Technology, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
2007
Faculty Exhibit, Grace Gallery, New York City College of Technology, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
2006
New Prints Fall, International Print Center New York, New York, NY
NY Fall Prints, curated by Carrie Moyer, Lower East Side Printshop, New York, NY
Summer Prints, Lower East Side Printshop, New York, NY
2005
Hope Box, Weather Report, Kosova Art Gallery, Pristina, Kosova Roman Petrovic Gallery, Sarajevo, Bosnia
Weather Report, Centar Za Kulturu, Mostar, Herzegovina SKC Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia, Hope Box
2004
New Prints 2004/Spring, curated by Barry Walker, International Print Center New York, New York, NY
Group exhibition, Art for Living, NY, NY
Hopebox Drawings, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Hopebox, Spark!, Johannesburg, South Africa
Hopebox, Mind’s I Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa
Hopebox, NSA Gallery, Durban, South Africa
2003
Weather Report, Virtual Museum of Contemporary African Art
2002
Reactions, Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Memory & Metaphor, Abrons Art Center, Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY Reactions, Exit Art, New York, NY
2001
Hope Box, Queensland College of Art Gallery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
The Thirty-Seventh Juried Exhibition, The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY
2000
Yaddo Artists, Williamsburgh Art & Historical Center, New York, NY
Weather Report, Mai Gallery, Hanoi and Blue Art Centre, Ho Chi Minh City
1999
Exhibition of Work by Newly Elected Members and Recipients of Honors and Awards, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
The Selected Files: NY Artists of Latin American Heritage, El Museo del Barrio, New York, NY
Invitational Exhibition of Painting & Sculpture, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
1998
Druckgrafik aus New York, Galerie Station 3, Vienna, Austria
The Tip of the Iceberg: A Response To NY Museums, Dorfman Projects, New York, NY Cover, Dave Muller’s Three Day Weekend, Los Angeles, CA
1996
Fusion Gravado, University of Columbia, Bogota, Columbia Survey, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
1995
Grafiker Falubiennalen 95, Dalarnas Museum, Sweden Fabrication, The Guggenheim Gallery, Chapman University, Orange, CA, Multimediation, Art Center, Pasadena, CA
TEACHING
2020
Poets House, poetry workshop
2002-Current
Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, New York City College of Technology, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY. Courses in color theory, graphic design, aesthetics, painting, drawing, art history
2015-Current
Adjunct faculty, The Juilliard School, New York, NY, Liberal Arts department. Courses: Art & Aesthetics; Citizenship, Art, and Politics
2016-2018
Artists Space Teaching Artist, Poet-in-Residence, Expanded Art Ideas Program, P.S. 140 and Artists Space Gallery, Tribeca, NY, NY
2017
Visiting Artist Lecture, Mangion Memorial Craft Talk, Kittery Art Association, Kittery, ME
2015
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, guest lecturer, ANIMOVE seminar, Front Royal, VA
2011
Visiting artist lecturer, Union College, Schenectady, NY
Visiting artist, Shepaug School, Washington, CT
2006
Visiting artist, Waterford Institute of Technology, MFA program, Waterford, Ireland
Artist lecture, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland
Cork Printmakers, woodblock and etching workshop, Cork, Ireland
Visiting artist, California College, California, PA
2005
Visiting artist, SUNY Rockland, Rockland, NY 2004 Visiting artist, SUNY Rockland, Rockland, NY
2003
Visiting artist, Hunter College MFA program, CUNY, New York, NY Visiting artist, SUNY Rockland, Rockland, NY
1994-2003
Sanctuary for Families, New York, NY, Volunteer Art Coordinator, children’s program for victims of domestic abuse
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art and English, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Master classes with Lucie Brock-Broido, Poetry Director, School of the Arts, Columbia University
New School for Social Research, New York, NY, graduate tutorial with Bernard Flynn in Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology
The Animation Studio, Animation Intensive with Marty Abrahams & Kat Llewellyn, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Empire State College, Empire Studio Program, Studio Space Grant, New York, NY
Academie Port-Royal, Paris, France
Atelier Mac’Avoy, Paris, France
Syracuse University, fine art and art history program in Florence, Italy
Languages:
Fluent in French; Reading: Spanish
FELLOWSHIPS AND RESIDENCIES
2022-2020
New York Historical Society, New York, NY
2019-2020
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, NY
2015
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, artist-in-residence, Front Royal, VA
2012
Poets House Emerging Poets Fellowship, New York, NY
2007-2005
Lower East Side Printshop Keyholder Fellowship, New York, NY
1999-2000
Painting Space 122, P.S. 122, New York, NY
1998
Yaddo Art Colony, Saratoga Springs, NY Manhattan
Graphics Center Fellowship, New York, NY
Lower East Side Printshop Special Edition Fellowship, New York, NY
SELECTED PRESS
2020
Kenyon Review, Raft of Flame review
Publishers Weekly, Raft of Flame review
Library Journal, Best work of 2020, Historical Witness
Ms. Magazine, Poetry 2020 Roundup, Poetry for the Rest of Us
2018
Boston Review, What Nature Poetry Forum, “Diary of the Ghost of a Mestiza”
Ragazine, Public Poetry/ Airtime, essay
2017
The Pleiades Book Review, “Dolls, Freaks, Art: American Poets Creating a New Mythology” by Christine Butterworth-McDermott (essay on Alvarez’s Devil’s Paintbrush, Castle’s Doll God, and Swartout’s Odd Beauty, Strange Fruit)
2016
Publishers Weekly, book review http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-87233-218-8
San Francisco Book Review, book review http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/product/devils-paintbrush-poems/
Sabotage Reviews, book review by Alice Allen
2013
The Villager, “A (Downtown) Room of One’s Own,” December
The Villager, “Word up! Artists reopen gallery in ‘novel’ fashion,” October
Central Booking Magazine, “Desirée Alvarez: Words and Images,” interview and artist project
Central Booking Magazine, “Text Out of Context”
2012
Betty Cunningham Gallery, Pearlstein catalog essay
Central Booking Magazine, November, Exhibition Catalog: Booked
Central Booking Magazine, September, Interview & Artist Project
2011
Zocalo Public Square, essay on aesthetics (for event with Brad Cloepfil and Gus Van Sant at The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, CA)
Times Union, Albany, NY, “Of Weeds and Wildness at Union College Explores
Dualities in Art and Nature,” Steve Barnes, February 10, 2011
All Over Albany, “Of Weeds and Wildness at Nott Memorial,” Bennett V. Campbell, February 10
The Free Gorge, “A Review: Of Weeds and Wildness”
Concordiensis, Union College, “Nature in the dead of winter?” Rachel Steiner, January 27
ArtBeat: What To See – Nippertown! , January 12
2010
The Litchfield County Times, CT, “Nature and Art Together in Exhibit in Roxbury”
The Housatonic Times, CT, “Peaceable Kingdom” Voices, CT
Haberart.com, review
2006
Tweed Museum, University of Minnesota, Philip Pearlstein catalog essay
7 Very Different Plays, cover art, Broadway Play Publishing
Acrylic-Resist Etching, Collagraphy, Engraving, Drypoint, Mezzotint, Carol Robertson and Robert Adam
2005
Arts and Metiers Printmaking Today, October
Haberart.com, “Making Books”
Grand Street News, November
Michael Kimmelman, The Accidental Masterpiece
2002
Michael Kimmelman, The New York Times, “Real Flesh, Not Perfect or Prurient”
2001
Denver Quarterly, University of Denver Press, “The Model as Painter and Painted,” essay
2000
The New York Times, “The Lonely Life of a Free Spirit,” Sunday, April 30
1999
Art in America, “Awards,” July
1995
Michael Duncan, “Fabrication: Formal, found and funky,” catalogue essay
CURATORIAL/ BOARD AFFILIATIONS/ PANELS/ FILM
2022
Canal Park Conservancy, Executive Board of Directors, New York, NY Art Republic Space, Board of Directors, New York, NY
2020
Plant Cure Roundtable Panel at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
2016 – 2019
New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Advisory Board
2013
Curator, International Print Center New York, Autumn Prints Exhibition
2012
Panelist, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Awards
2011
Film, Naked Vision, Underbelly Films, a documentary on Philip Pearlstein
2010
Panel, Betty Cunningham Gallery, “Pearlstein/Held: Five Decades” roundtable discussion with Chuck Close, Robert Storr, Dorothea Rockburne, Joe Santore, Chris Martin, Bill Bailey, Phong Bui and Bill Conlon
2009
Co-Curator, The Wall: The Art of Peter Sis, Walter Reade Theater Gallery, Lincoln Center, New York, NY 2009 Juror Panelist, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
2007
Juror Panelist, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
2005
Curator, New Prints, International Print Center New York, New Prints 2005, with Judy Hecker, Assistant Curator, MOMA and Michael Steinberg
Juror Panelist, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship
2003-2009
Executive Board, Board of Directors, Lower East Side Printshop, New York, NY
POETRY READINGS
2023
AWP Conference Seattle, Omnidawn poets BWAC, Ecopoetry reading, Brooklyn, NY
2022
Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT
2020
Battery Journal, book launch for anthology, Uni-Verse
Poets House, Omnidawn poets fall reading
Berl’s Poetry Shop, Omnidawn poets fall reading
Moe’s Books, Omnidawn poets book launch, Berkeley, CA
Community of Literary Magazines & Presses poetry reading, “Poetry & Protest,”with Malcolm Tariq & Cyrée Jarell Johnson, Berl’s Brooklyn Poetry Shop
Cobra Milk, Brooklyn, NY
AWP Conference Main Stage Reading with Omnidawn poets
2019
The Painting Center, New York, NY
The Golden Notebook, Woodstock, NY
FENCE Winter/Spring 2019 podcast
Walt Whitman Ceremonial Street Naming Ceremony, Brooklyn, NY
Smack Mellon Gallery, Brooklyn Poets Walt Whitman Bicentennial Poetry Contest, Brooklyn, NY
2017
Kittery Art Association, Kittery Point, ME
2016
New York Public Library, Main Branch, 476 Fifth Avenue
Portsmouth Poet Laureate Series, Portsmouth, NH
Holleywood, The Traveler’s Vade Mecum book launch, Lakeville, CT The Juilliard School
2013
Poets House residency fellowship reading
2012
Poets House, Emerging Poets Residency Program reading The Juilliard School, The Three Muses Poetry Series
2011
Trinity Church, Bach at One Series 2008 Artists Space