In this conversation, Eilen Itzel Mena, a Dominican American artist from New York and presently based in London, offered a glimpse into her personal odyssey intertwined with her artistic voyage. This convergence of influences has woven a narrative as complex as her Afro-American heritage, as intricate as her spiritual beliefs, and as variegated as the landscapes of cultures she has traversed. Within her creative endeavors lies a resolute pursuit—to bestow upon the world a resounding affirmation of cultural identity, a vivacious celebration of joy. While her oeuvre resonates with spiritual cadences drawn from the core of her being, a devout engagement with Ifá, an Afro-Cuban faith, paints an even more nuanced portrait. Her artistic journey is a fusion of her Afro-American heritage, spiritual beliefs, and experiences in various cultural landscapes. Her creative work aims to instill a sense of joy and cultural affirmation, addressing the complexities of identity and representation within the broader socio-cultural context. Through her artistic endeavors, she seeks not just to capture joy, but to be its vessel, its ambassador, and its resonance. And in this pursuit, she becomes an artist of not just canvases, but of emotions, a curator of cultural narratives, and a weaver of joy. Outline: In Today’s Episode with Eilen Itzel Mena: 1. Mena’s childhood experiences from Dominican Republic to New York 2. Going to California for BFA. 3. Mena’s Ifá Practice and Her Destiny to Seek Joy Internally, Externally, and Spiritually. 4. Bringing Positivity to Viewers. 5. Mena’s Visual Language is Universal Guest: Eilen Itzel Mena (@eilen.itzel.mena) Host: Jamie-May Minjie (@jamiemayminjie) Contains original remix music by Vidy Thatte (@vidythatte) Artist Bio: Eilen Itzel Mena is an Afro-Dominican American artist, writer, and community organizer from the South Bronx in New York, and she is currently based in London for her MFA program in painting at the Slade School of Fine Arts (UCL). Before this, she received her BFA from the University of Southern California in 2017. Through a blend of Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and spiritual frameworks rooted in the African Diaspora, Mena highlights culturally affirming African Diaspora frameworks such as art, music, dance, cuisine and religion in her work, in response to the contextual dissonance and rejection of blackness embedded in Western cultural and ideological frameworks. Mena has exhibited work in New York, Mexico, New Zealand and London among other places, and has been covered by major publications such as the New York Times, Vogue, Cultured Magazine, and Hyperallergic. Her work has also been featured on HBO’s Insecure and Random Acts of Flyness as well as Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanours. Host Bio: Jamie-May Minjie (b. 1990) is a millennial writer, poet, visual artist, and cultural entrepreneur. She holds an MA from UCL and has appeared in several publications across the U.S, and is the author of numerous poetry books. She founded MINJIC, a California-based art platform for queer and female artists, was a member of UCL Innovation & Enterprise incubator BaseKX, and a founding member of TXTNFT, an artist collective based out of New York City. For more information on the Miracle Stars Minjic Parlor project, visit https://www.minjic.com/ Subscribe to our newsletters to be in the know of our transcribed interview publication date! https://minjic.beehiiv.com/subscribe © MINJIC LLC 2023 All Rights Reserved
