Tania Marmolejo
°1975, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Lives and works in New York, US.
Some of the most important influences in her work include German and Flemish art of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and the Figurative and Abstract German Expressionists. Also very influential in color and minimalist subject matter is Scandinavian art, including the Contemporary art scene, which she was immersed in while studying in Norway.
In a different tone and sensibility, Asian erotic paintings —female portraits in particular, with their subtle sensuality— have an influence in the conceptual and development phases of her current work. She explores techniques and concepts, creating a contemporary crossroad of styles where all those influences overlap.
Her current work juxtaposes the intimate and personal with the monumental, creating large-scale paintings of ambiguous female facial expressions. She is currently exploring issues of gender and identity as a Scandinavian Caribbean female artist, using the portraits and physical expression as a system of communicating vessels to transfer emotions into the viewers, creating affective and emotional empathy.
She would like to experiment with and implement a combination of the above-mentioned influences, the older techniques used in large-scale painting, and the loose, emotion-driven concepts of the Expressionists, while retaining the contemporary influence of the more cartoon- and character-driven style of the 1950s to 1980s that has always influenced her, creating a new, contemporary language in her art.
Selected exhibitions:
Solo exhibitions:
2024, Contemplativa, September 18th–October 23rd, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2023, The Nurturing Wild, September 2nd–October 14th, Kutlesa Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2023, What Was Saved from the Fire, June 1st–July 8th, Loyal Gallery, Stockholm (SE)
2023, Under the Influence, May 4th–June 3rd, Villazan Gallery, Madrid (ES)
2023, Alter Egos, March 10th–30th, Eligere Gallery, Seoul (KR)
2022, Master and Commander, December 8th–January 3rd, Volery Gallery, Dubai International Financial Center (AE)
2022, The Dream and The Voyage, September 1st–October 1st, Centre of International Contemporary Art (CICA), Vancouver (CA)
2022, As Far As Your Eyes Can See, September 1st–2nd, Eligere Gallery, solo showcase at Kiaf PLUS (KR)
2022, Telenovela Life, June 9th–July 2nd, GR Gallery, New York (US)
2021, Untamed Truths, December 9th–January 30th, Lyle O. Reitzel Contemporary Art, Santo Domingo (DO)
2021, Anacaona’s Revenge, September 15th–November 30th, Eligere Gallery, Seoul (KR)
2020, Santas y Tígueras, February 1st–April 30th, Museo Cándido Bidó, Bonao (DO)
2018, (In Between), October 6th–28th, Galleri Nord-Norge, Harstad (NO)
2018, Here Versus There, April 13th–May 30th, Lyle O. Reitzel Contemporary Art, New York (US)
2016, When Stung by a Bee Lie Down and Scream, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran (IR)
2015, What Was I Thinking?, September 10th–October 10th, Lyle O. Reitzel Contemporary Art, Santo Domingo (DO)
2013, Delicious Torment, July 18th–August 18th, Lyle O. Reitzel Contemporary Art, Santo Domingo (DO)
2012, The Awakening, Deborah Colton Gallery, Houston (US)
2011, Toxic Longings, Sensei at Panda Gallery, New York (US)
Group exhibitions:
2021, Summer Camp, GR Gallery, July 22nd–Aug 20th, New York (US)
2017, CONTEXT – Art Miami, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, December 5th–10th, Miami (US)
2017, Dialogue, Azart Gallery, Chelsea, New York (US)
2017, 22 on Tour, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2016, SCOPE Miami Beach, Azart Gallery/ArtLeadHer booth F33, Miami Beach (US)
2016, Collective auction/Benefiting Coalition for the Homeless, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York (US)
2015, 20 Years On The Road, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2014, Ibero–American Design Biennial 2014, Madrid (ES)
2012, Context – Art Miami, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery booth, Miami (US)
2012, Extraordinary 5, Cafeina Wynwood Art Center, Miami (US)
2011, Super Heavy, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2011, Hyperboreans, Dacia Gallery, New York (US)
2011, Enigmatic Visions, William Bennett Gallery, Soho, New York (US)
2011, Mocca / Ny Arts Festival, New York (US)
2011, Paint Art Fair, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, New York (US)
2011, Super Heroes (Courtesy of Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery), Casita Maria Center, New York (US)
2010, Paint Art Fair, Lyle O. Reitzel Gallery, New York (US)
2010, Veuve Cucaracha: A Contemporary Art Homage to Pura Belpre, LES & Abrazo Interno Gallery/The Clemente, New York (US)
2010, HYBRIDS: Dominican Art, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York (US)
2009, XVIII Ibero-American Art Salon, Katzen Art Center, Washington DC (US)
2009, Art Collision, traveling exhibition, San Francisco (US)
2008, XVII Ibero-American Art Salon, Katzen Art Center, Washington DC (US)
2007, Femenino Subterraneo, District & Co. Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2006, The Vagina Monologues, Columbia Presbyterian, New York (US)
2006, Mad Arts Spring Show, MadArts Gallery, Brooklyn, New York (US)
2006, District & Co. Exhibit Opening, District & Co. Gallery, Santo Domingo (DO)
2005, Madarts Fall Show, MadArts Gallery, Brooklyn, New York (US)
Selected Awards:
2014, Selection, Fourth Iberoamerican Design Biennial, Madrid (ES)
2010, New York State Assembly Honor. Presentation of “Hybrids”, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, New York (US)
2001, CINE Award-DMA Animation Studios. Animatic of Freedom River, Hyperion/Disney, New York (US)
2001, ASIFA Award-DMA Animation Studios. Animatic of Freedom River, Hyperion/Disney, New York (US)
1998, Bluhdorn Scholarship, Altos De Chavón-Parsons School of Design (DO)
Selected Biography
2015, Badajoz, Joaquin. “El universo panóptico de Tania Marmolejo,” La Opinión, 7 October, Los Angeles (US)
2015, Badajoz, Joaquin. “El universio panóptico de Tania Marmolejo”, El Diario Nueva York, 7 October, New York (US)
2015, De Tolentino, Marianne. “Tania Marmolejo piensa y pinta,” Periódico Hoy, 3 Octubre, Dominican Republic (DO)
2015, Lugo, Diana. “Tania Marmolejo: el Secreto de las miradas”, Estilos Magazine, 12 September, Dominican Republic (DO)
2015, Arc The Magazine
2014, Blush Magazine, Anniversary Edition. Fashion Faces from Dominican Republic, September 2014, pp. 179-182
2014, Interview Casa Life Magazine. Rebecca Hughes: Tania Marmolejo: Artist, Designer and All Around Renaissance Woman, Year 9, vol. 1, pp. 42-43
2014, Casa de Campo Living. Stephen Kaplan: Tania Marmolejo: A Chavón graduate who defines success, February 2014
2013, Diario Las Américas, Art Basel Edition 2013. Section-cover, logo header re-design for Art Basel
2013, El Nuevo Herald. Joaquín Badajoz: Las nuevas poéticas de Tania Marmolejo, Artes y Letras (cover), August 24, 2013
2013, Irreversible Magazine. Joaquín Badajoz: “Beware of Strangers of the Persuasive Kind…”, August 2013
2012, MIAMI Magazine, Art Basel Edition. December 2012. Cover
2011, El Mundo, Gonzalo Aguirregomezcorta: Tania Marmolejo: el arte de “doodlear” de una dominicana residente en Nueva York, elmundo.es (MoCCA festival)
2010, Top Magazine, Latin American Art (Dominican Republic)
2010, La Casa Magazine (Dominican Republic)