BIO
Johan Orellana (b. 1998) is an Ecuadorian-born and, both, Spaniard and American-raised visual artist living and working between Brooklyn, New York; Machala, Ecuador; and Ciudad Real, Spain.
His bodies of work, a mix of photographic approaches, encapsulate moments of high experiential affinity where individuals, objects, and landscapes become interrelated representations of the artist’s visual brain map. He finds interest in visual dichotomies, parallels, intersections, and tangents that mainly result in observations about the domestic and public spaces, recontextualization of national historical and family archives, and documentation of a geographical area or community.
EDUCATION
2021 B.A. Photography, Bard College
2021 B.A. Spanish Studies, Bard College
EXHIBITION RECORD
2024 A Tapestry of Aliveness, Magnum Foundation, New York, NY
2024 In/Between 2024: Cosmic Domestic, NY Live Arts Ford Foundation Live Gallery, New York Foundation for the Arts’ Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, New York, NY
2023 Fusion, Omola Studio for Wábi Gallery, Wábi Gallery, New Haven, CT
2023 May Brings Flowers, Omola Studio, Blake Hotel Gallery, New Haven, CT
2023 Artist Prospering Really is Limitless (APRiL), Omola Studio, New Haven Business Center, New Haven, CT
2022 El Santo Niño Project, Cristian Anthony Vallejo Memorial Gallery, CAV Gallery, Las Cruces, NM
2021 Homecoming 2021, MFA Photography Reviews, James Kerney Campus Gallery, Trenton, NJ
2021 Erratic Space: Senior Thesis Show, Woods Studio, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
2020 La Frontera: A New Latinx Lexicon, Humble Arts Foundation, web
2019 Duality, My Personality, Phe Studios, Brooklyn, NY
SELECTED AWARDS
2024 Artist-in-Residence, BRIClab Contemporary Art Residency 2024-2025, BRIC, NY
2024 Runner-Up, PhotoWork Foundation, NY
2024 Mentee, Immigrant Artist Program, New York Foundation of the Arts, NY
2023 Spring Fellow, Magnum Foundation Fellowship, NY
2020 Bard Photography Department Award, Bard College, NY
2017 Higher Education Opportunity Program, Bard College, NY
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2021 Pearl Press, Issue 5 "On Crowds”, Spring (web & print)
LECTURES
2025 Process and self-discovery, Bard Photo Mentorship Program, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
2022 Techniques in Creative Practice, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
PRESS
2023 Interview with Spring ‘23 Fellow Johan Orellana, Magnum Foundation, December 2023 (web)
2023 Art Council Greater New Haven, Photography and Pharmaceuticals in Wábi Gallery’s “Fusion,” September 2023 (web and print)
2023 WTNH News 8, Exhibition Reshaping New Haven’s Art Scene, June 2023 (web and video)
2023 Omola Studio, May Brings Flowers, May 2023 (web and print)
2023 Magnum Foundation, Spring Magnum Foundation Fellow, May 2023 (web)
2023 Omola Studio, Artists Prospering Really is Limitless, April 2023 (web and print)
2022 ¡MIRA! Newsletter, Johan Orellana by Sandra Riaño, April 2022 (web)
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
Bard College, Photography Department, Mentor (Volunteer), Spring 2023-Spring 2024
Magnum Foundation, Spring Fellow, 2023
Feather Creative, Retouching Assistant, Fall 2021-present
The Center for Curatorial Studies and the Hessel Museum of Art, Research Center, Librarian Assistant, 2017-2020
Stephen Shore Studio, Studio Intern, Fall 2019-Spring 2020
Tinker Street*, Office Intern, Fall 2019-Spring 2020