Kim Llerena is a photographic artist currently based in Miami, Florida. She holds an MFA in Photographic & Electronic Media from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and a BA in Journalism from New York University (NYU). She exhibits nationally in addition to serving as full-time faculty at the University of Miami. Her work explores our constructed relationship to place, particularly the junction of private moments and public spaces. She is also interested in the various dualities that characterize the photographic medium, including memory & aspiration, translation & description, and art & snapshot.
Llerena is included in the permanent collection of The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. She was a 2021 D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities Fellowship Program grantee, a 2019 Flash Forward Competition top 100 winner selected by The Magenta Foundation, a 2019 CENTER Review Santa Fe 100 photographer, and a 2016 semifinalist in The Print Center’s 90th Annual International Competition. She has been featured in LensCulture, Fraction Magazine, The Washington Post, and numerous other publications. Recent exhibitions include The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, Louisiana; Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland; Candela Gallery, Richmond, Virginia; Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, Washington; and 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.
kim@kimllerena.com
CV (.PDF)
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SOLO and TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022 Surface Encounters, Formerly Was Gallery, Washington, D.C. (with painter Jen Noone)
2020 American Scrapbook, SOLOS 2020, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, VA
American Miniature (collaboration), artspace, Richmond, VA
2019 American Miniature (collaboration), 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
2018 American Miniature (collaboration), Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, TN
2017 Rust Sun Bible Corn, The Delaplaine Arts Center, Frederick, MD
2015 Rust Sun Bible Corn, VisArts, Rockville, MD
Ekphrasis, Hillyer Art Space, Washington, D.C.
2012 Ekphrasis, MFA Thesis Exhibition III, Decker Gallery, MICA, Baltimore, MD
2011 Nowhere More Familiar, Gateway Gallery, MICA, Baltimore, MD
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Currents 2022, juried by Phillip March Jones, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA
Reverberation: PCNW 25th Juried Exhibition, juried, Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, WA
Convergence: A Contemporary Photography Exhibition, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
Green Environment, Southeast Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2021 UnBound10!, juried, Candela Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
Inside Out, Upside Down, juried invitational, The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
CITYarts 32nd Annual Gala, The Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY
Poster Show, juried, but-also, Washington, D.C.
2020 New Photography II, juried by Philip Brookman, Academy Art Museum, Easton, MD
Lost/Found, Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, D.C.
CPA Juried Exhibition, juried by Laura Sackett & Ann Jastrab, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA (online)
High Frequency: A Benefit Auction, juried, WPA in partnership with Artsy, Washington, D.C. (moved online)
2019 Surfacing, The Mansion at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD (4-person exhibition)
Lost/Found, invited, Studio Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Collectors’ Night 2019, juried, WPA, pop-up space, Washington, D.C.
Art Night 2019, invited, WPA, Hickok Cole Architects, Washington, D.C.
2018 That’s Why I’m Here, curated by Meaghan Kent, Cody Gallery, Arlington, VA (5-person exhibition)
Vox Lacunae, curated by Grace DeWitt, Stamp Gallery, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Narrative, invited, Studio Gallery, Washington, D.C.
SPE Combined Caucus Juried Exhibition, juried by Anthony Goicolea, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Exposure 2017, juried by Sarah Kennel, Photographic Resource Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
PCNW 21stJuried Exh., juried by Sandra Phillips of SFMOMA, Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, WA
radius250: 7thBiennial Regional Juried Exhibition, juried by Francis Thompson, artspace, Richmond, VA
The Journey: Photographs Along the Way, juried by Sam Abell, Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg, FL
2016 90thAnnual International Competition, The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA (online exhibition)
Word & Image: Portfolio Showcase, Davis Orton Gallery, Hudson, NY
SPE Combined Caucus Juried Exhibition, juried by Aline Smithson, Living Arts, Tulsa, OK
2015 HCP 33rd Membership Exhibition, juried by Russell Lord, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX
Wish You Were Here 14, A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Small Towns, Spokane Art School Gallery, Spokane, WA
2014 The Trawick Prize Finalist Exhibition, Gallery B, Bethesda, MD
Still Life, juried by Rebecca Senf, Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
2013 Sondheim Artscape Prize Semifinalist Exhibition, Decker Gallery, MICA, Baltimore, MD
Regarding Territory, curated by Ginevra Shay, Furthermore Gallery, Washington, D.C.
2012 Voyeurism & Intimacy, juried by Todd Hido, RayKo Photo Center, San Francisco, CA
Young Blood 2012, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
Staging Over Manipulation, curated by Rod Malin, Guest Spot Art Space, Baltimore, MD (4-person exhibition)
2011 Studious, juried by Shane Lavalette, hosted by Lay Flat and Light Work, Spark Gallery, Syracuse, NY
AWARDS and HONORS
2022 Artist Access Grant, Miami-Date County Department of Cultural Affairs, Miami, FL
2021 Permanent collection acquisition, The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
Arts & Humanities Fellowship Program Grant, individual artist, D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities
2019 Flash Forward Competition top 100 winner, The Magenta Foundation
CENTER Review Santa Fe 100 photographer, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Semifinalist, 90thAnnual International Competition, The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Finalist, The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Bethesda, MD
2013 Semifinalist, Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize, Baltimore, MD
2012 Honorable Mention, International Photography Awards (IPA), One Shot: Spaces, Inside category
Finalist, Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship, MICA
PRESS and FEATURES
2022 “Mixed Media and Photography Collide in Surface Encounters.” Washington City Paper, April 26
2021 “American Scrapbook”, Panorama, international collaborative project and digital platform,
“City Lights: Inside Outside, Upside Down: 64 Artists Opine on 2020.” Washington City Paper, Aug. 9
“In the galleries: Posters and Flowers.” Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, Feb. 26
2020 “American Blues.” W. Scott Olsen, LensCulture.com, June 30
2019 Issue 128, Fraction Magazine. Bree Lamb, Fractionmagazine.com, November
2018 “The Best Photo Exhibits of 2018.” Louis Jacobson, Washington City Paper, Dec. 5
“Critic’s Pick: Narrative” Louis Jacobson, Washington City Paper, November
“In the galleries: In Narrative, 14 artists have personal tales” Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, Nov. 23
“In the galleries: That’s Why I’m Here.” Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, April 28
2017 “With excellent Exposure, PRC bids farewell to BU.” Mark Feeney, The Boston Globe, May 5
“Exposure 2017” Elin Spring, What Will You Remember blog, May 16
2015 “In the galleries: 3 artists explore 3-D.” Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, Aug. 21
“In the galleries: Two photographers, two perspectives.” Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, Aug. 8
“VisArts Presents Kim Llerena and D.B. Stovall.” EastCityArt.com, July 22
“Rust Sun Bible Corn by Kim Llerena.” Alexis Lodsun, Juxtapoz.com, March 31