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 Showjuried, 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