bio / cv

Born in Barcelona, Spain in 1955
Lives and works in Los Angeles since 1987

SOLO AND SMALL GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022“Conversations” featuring 12 large portraits from the series From Where The Sun Now Stands I Will Fight No More Forever, at Range Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2019“Yiddishists”, a one day show of 23 portraits at Loyola Marymount  University during Jeffrey Shandler’s lecture about Yiddish as a Postvernacular Language and Culture. September 23
2017“Species of Faces and other Mayses”, a presentation of 60 portraits taking up both the Spiegel and Dortort galleries. Hillel, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
2016“Faces of Survival”, a one day solo showcase. Sneak peek and presentation of four acrylic portraits on vinyl. Introduction by Communication Studies Professor Paul Von Blum. Gindi Gallery. Hillel, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
2012“Visual Variations”,presenting 15 abstract acrylic paintings, most memorably Genetic Memory, as featured on the event’s flier. Alsofeaturing artists Lorraine Bubar and Ellen Cantor. Platt & Borstein Galleries, Los Angeles, CA.
2007“Rimshot Steppin”, a collection of acrylic abstract paintings. Baby Blues Restaurant and Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
‘95-‘05“Jazz Portraits”, a permanent installation. Wax reduction method portraits of selected jazz giants. Lunaria restaurant and gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
2003 “Dual”, featuring large format figurative and abstract oil paintings. Curated by Karen Black. Rose Café, Los Angeles, CA.
2002“Garden Angel Project”. Awarded the Alhambra Business District original angel commission. Alhambra, CA.
“Desert Abstractions”, a collection of abstract acrylic paintings. Palm Canyon Gallery, Palm Springs, CA.
1998“Back to LA”, a collection of portraits. Acrylic and oil paintings on canvas and pastel drawings on paper. Corridor Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
1994“A City in a Stairway”, collages and acrylic paintings as part of a two-person collaborative exhibit with photographer Marisé Samitier. Midnight Special, Santa Monica, CA.
1993“Urban Stress”, figurative and quasi-abstract acrylic paintings. Troy Café, Downtown Los Angeles, California.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023“The Next Big Thing” curated by Shana Nys, featuring “The World Outside” at The Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo CA
2023“A Keen Eye” with SCWCA, featuring “77 Gullible Years on Earth” at Range Projects, LA
2023“The Last CA 101” featuring “The Semblance Of Form” at The Redondo Beach Historical Library, Redondo Beach
2023“Absurdity in Dada” featuring “The Touch Of Justice” and “Seventy-Seven Gullible Years On Planet Earth” at Stola Gallery, Chicago
2023“Ancestral Conections” curated by Chelo Montoya featuring “La Iaia” exhibit at Avenue 50 Studio, LA, curated by Chelo Montoya
2023“Sovereignity & Liberation” Exhibit juried by Jaimie Isaac, Chief Curator of Art Gallery Greater Victoria, featuring Wonsil Peak, at Gallery 110, Seattle WA
2023JAI of Southern California at Hillel UCLA, Three Headrooms portrtaits
2022“Conversations”, featuring 11 large portraits from the series From Where The Sun Now Stands I Will Fight No More Forever, at Range Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2021“Dialogues” Exhibition of An Artist Collective with juror Kristina Newhouse, featuring Peekaboo, It Takes Discipline, Sittin’On a Tree, and Villa Venice High, at SoLA Contemporary Gallery, Los Angeles
2021“Fresh 21” Exhibition juried by Anuradha Vikram, featuring Back To School and Disciplinary Issues at SoLA Contemporary Gallery, Los Angeles
2021“Reflection” Exhibition juried by Sunook Park and Terrell Tilford, featuring Campus Walk at The Korean Cultural Center with Launch LA Gallery, Los Angeles
2020“Saturation” Pandemic Winter Fundraiser Auction, featuring Drops and Rain at SoLa Contemporary Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2020“Made in California” Exhibition juried by Heather Bowling, featuring Cinderella Coup at Brea Galley, Brea, CA.
2020Tarfest 2020: “Transition” Exhibition juried by Holly Jerger, featuring Nunc Aeternum (Ego) and Doodling with Iaia at Launch LA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
2020“Habitat California: Flora & Fauna” Exhibition juried by Tulsa Kinney, featuring Is This Recyclable 4 (Happy Together) at Palos Verdes Art Center, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.
2020“Art + Activism” Exhibition featuring Is This Recyclable 2 (Together Forever) and Is This Recyclable 3 (Surfin USA) at SoLA Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA.
2018“California Open Exhibition”, juried by Kim Abeles, featuring Mother’s Beach. Tag Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
2018“4th Annual , Juried Exhibit”, juried by Tulsa Kinney, Jim Morphesis and Michael Arata, featuring Abuse. LA Artcore, Los Angeles, CA.
2016“5th Annual Competition”, featuring abstract paintings Power Glove and Bathing Machine. Acrylic on vinyl. JF Gallery, West Palm Beach, Florida
2013“Silent Communication”, presenting acrylic on vinyl portraits Margarita, Avrun, and Sheldon. Linus Gallery, Pasadena, CA.
‘12-’13 “Honoring Women’s Rights”, juried by Joyce Aiken, Ruth Weisberg and Patricia Rodriguez. Featuring larger than life portraits Margarita and Helcha. The Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA.
2012“Song of the Land”, juried by Ruth Weisberg for the Women’s Caucus of Art (WCA). The Hebrew Union College, Downtown Los Angeles, CA.
2010“New*Art”, featuring Genetic Memory. Judges’ Choice Award. Juried by Fredric Snitzer and curated by Ann Fay Rushforth. Armory Art Center, Palm Beach, Florida
2004“Color Outside the Lines”. Honorable Mention for an abstract painting. Juried by Joan Hugo of the California Institute of the Arts. Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA.
2002“Black History Month”, featuring one wax-reduction method jazz musician portrait as selected by the Second City Council. Juried by Archie Boston. Second City Council Art Gallery, Long Beach, CA.
2001“Ga Ga for LA LA”, featuring two oil paintings. Juried by Elsa Longhauser of the former Santa Monica Museum of Art, now ICA LA. Eye Five Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
2000Selected musician portraits, wax-reduction method. Art Sales Gallery at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, CA.
1999“3rd International Open”, awarded 2nd prize for La diabla, a mixed media and acrylic painting. Juried by Mary Ross Taylor (curator to Judy Chicago). Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL.
1998“Made in California”, featuring one figurative oil and mixed media on wood panel. Curated by Scott Canty. City of Brea Gallery, Brea, CA.
1996“Site First Annual Competition”, two oil on wood panel paintings.
Exhibit juried by Howard Fox, retired curator of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Site Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
1996“Immigrant Isle”, featuring three oil paintings. Corridor Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
1987“International Biennale of Sports and Fine Arts”, featuring two selected oil paintings, Lanzamiento and Corredor de Fondo. Palau de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.

PUBLICATIONS

2023Bird Of A Feather, Maintenant 17, Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y
2023anSelma and barca, Illustrated Una dona en tres paraules by Maria Dolors Camós, Ediciones S&P, Barcelona (Spain)
2023This artist paints portraits of today’s Yiddishists by Zach Golden, https://forward.com/forverts-in-english/537171/this-artist-paints-portraits-of-todays-yiddishists/
2022Not Yet, Maintenant 16, Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2021End Of Spin, Maintenant 15, Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2021Iber Der Velt 1, illustrating Let The People Then Become Smarter by Sarah Biskowitz, In Geveb, online magazine February 17
2021Iber Der Velt 1, illustrating Zooming Home to Yiddish by Florence Berkowitz-Siegelberg, Times of Israel, online newspapeer March 17
2020Is This Recyclable 1 (Surfin USA), Maintenant 14, Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2019All In, Maintenant 13. Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2018I like Freud, Maintenant 12. Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2017The next gambit, Maintenant 11. Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2015Cold Calling, Maintenant 9. Three Rooms Press, New York, N.Y.
2010Red Street. Artist Portfolio Magazine, Winter Edition, p. 8
’02-’04Jazz portraits, digitally ejazzlines.com.
2000Una bruja en un pajar by Silvia Wagensberg, Vel Magazine. Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
1997Political satire comic strip, Hispanic Link Weekly Report Magazine, Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION

1979Masters of Arts in Philology, Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona, Spain.
1975Bachelors of Arts coursework in Painting, Facultad de Barcelona de Belles Arts (Barcelona University of Fine Arts)

contact

info@silviawagensberg.com