About the Artist
(CV below)
(CV below)
Centro de Artes, San Antonio, Texas, 2022
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her creative work celebrates heritage, culture, and identity as a means of unity, empowerment, and healing. Her creations reflect her Indigenous ancestry, Mesoamerican philosophy, Mexika & Mixtec art, Mexican culture, Raza history, and her experiences as an Indigenous Mexican Chicana woman in the United States. Elizabeth’s paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in over sixty exhibitions across the United States: California, Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and New York. Group exhibitions include Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Monmouth Museum, and Alliant International University in San Francisco. Solo shows were featured in venues such as Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, La Peña Cultural Center, and Centro de Artes Gallery in San Antonio.
Elizabeth's work has been covered by The Mercury News, The Santa Clara Weekly, Ragazine.cc, Telemundo, Univision, several appearances on NBC’s Comunidad del Valle, and various radio interviews. Elizabeth is a member of the We Are You Project based in New York, and the Neo-Latino collective based in New Jersey. She earned a BFA in Pictorial Art and a BA in French from San José State University, served as Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs, received a Cultura Power Mini-Grant from MACLA, a Fellowship from Root Division, and a Commendation from the City of San José. In 2023, Elizabeth was selected for the prestigious Creative Corps Initiative grant from the California Arts Council and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her artwork has received Honorable Mentions from the Santa Clara Cultural Commission and Triton Museum of Art and is currently in the collection of the City and County of San Francisco. She is Manager of Roots Artist Registry and the Founder of La Raíz Magazine.
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo is a visual artist, poet, and facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Her creative work celebrates heritage, culture, and identity as a means of unity, empowerment, and healing. Her creations reflect her Indigenous ancestry, Mesoamerican philosophy, Mexika & Mixtec art, Mexican culture, Raza history, and her experiences as an Indigenous Mexican Chicana woman in the United States. Elizabeth’s paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in over sixty exhibitions across the United States: California, Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and New York. Group exhibitions include Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Monmouth Museum, and Alliant International University in San Francisco. Solo shows were featured in venues such as Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, La Peña Cultural Center, and Centro de Artes Gallery in San Antonio.
Elizabeth's work has been covered by The Mercury News, The Santa Clara Weekly, Ragazine.cc, Telemundo, Univision, several appearances on NBC’s Comunidad del Valle, and various radio interviews. Elizabeth is a member of the We Are You Project based in New York, and the Neo-Latino collective based in New Jersey. She earned a BFA in Pictorial Art and a BA in French from San José State University, served as Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs, received a Cultura Power Mini-Grant from MACLA, a Fellowship from Root Division, and a Commendation from the City of San José. In 2023, Elizabeth was selected for the prestigious Creative Corps Initiative grant from the California Arts Council and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her artwork has received Honorable Mentions from the Santa Clara Cultural Commission and Triton Museum of Art and is currently in the collection of the City and County of San Francisco. She is Manager of Roots Artist Registry and the Founder of La Raíz Magazine.
VIDEO: NBC Comunidad del Valle with Damian Trujillo, August 2022
Discussing Solo Exhibition at Centro de Artes Gallery
English / Español
Discussing Solo Exhibition at Centro de Artes Gallery
English / Español
My visual artwork celebrates heritage, culture, and identity as a means of unity, empowerment, and healing. Themes of my artwork include Indigenous Mexika (Aztec) dancers, Mexika philosophy, social issues, and my own experiences as an Indigenous Mexican Chicana woman. The iconography of my artwork is influenced by Mesoamerican handpainted books (codices), Nahuatl picture-writing glyphs, and ancestral concepts and philosophies. The subject and style of my art promotes balance, unity, justice, collaboration, and healing through connection.
My connection with my Indigenous heritage began when I moved from my hometown, Petaluma, California, to San José, California. I was introduced to Mexica ceremonial dance circles in the community. I have participated in traditional Mexika dance ceremony, including in San José and at Alcatraz Island during Unthanksgiving, honoring Indigenous people and the reclaiming of Alcatraz Island 1969. Over a decade ago, I began painting the oil on canvas series of Mexika dancers, The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind.
My connection with my Indigenous heritage began when I moved from my hometown, Petaluma, California, to San José, California. I was introduced to Mexica ceremonial dance circles in the community. I have participated in traditional Mexika dance ceremony, including in San José and at Alcatraz Island during Unthanksgiving, honoring Indigenous people and the reclaiming of Alcatraz Island 1969. Over a decade ago, I began painting the oil on canvas series of Mexika dancers, The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind.
Exhibition at Centro de Artes Gallery, 2022
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During college, I studied abroad in Paris, France where I completed an intensive course in classical Nahuatl, the oldest recorded form of Mexika language. The course included an introduction to understanding the glyph writing found in Indigenous Mesoamerican tonalamatl-- handpainted books known as codices. Finally understanding some the images I had always been drawn to, I began creating work incorporating the glyphs into a series of art which I’ve continued to this day. I began the series of work Transformación, which consists of paintings and sculptures based on concepts from Indigenous philosophy and my experiences and perspectives through the lens of Indigenous tradition.
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Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 2013
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At San José State University, I presented my first solo exhibition and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Pictorial Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in French. I have continued to paint Mexika dancers, participate in traditional dance ceremonies in California, and learn more about my ancestral culture, as shared through oral tradition.
I am often asked the genre of my artwork. I would say it is "Contemporary Anahuak Art" or "Modern Mesoamerican Art" to indicate the time/region and cultural origin of the themes and iconography of my work. My artwork is also considered Chicano Art (Chicana Art). Note: It is more accurate to refer to the “Aztecs” as Mexika [me-SHEE-kah]. Anahuak is the area known as "Mesoamerica." |
Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo on NBC's Comunidad del Valle with Damian Trujillo (November 2013)
SF Bay Area Artist: Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
Artist C.V. - Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo
EDUCATION
2010
B.F.A. in Pictorial Arts and B.A. in French- San José State University, San José, California, U.S.A.
2007-2008
Université Paris 8- Vincennes – Saint-Denis, Paris, France
AWARDS/RECOGNITION/GRANTS/COMMISSION
2023 Creative Corps Initiative --California Arts Council & Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Artist-in-Action Fellowship – Root Division, San Francisco, CA (2022-2023)
2022 Artist Adaptability Circles
Commissioned Artist -UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Award for Institutional Excellence & Equity
Creative Capital 2022 Shortlist (Visual Arts)
2021 Creative Ambassador of the San José Office of Cultural Affairs, San José, CA
Honorable Mention. Awarded by Santa Clara Cultural Commission & Triton Museum of Art
Grant - CALI Accelerator Program, Center for Cultural Innovation, San Francisco, CA
Grant - Cultura Power Mini Grant, MACLA, San José, CA
2014 Honorable Mention. Awarded by curators at the Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA
2013 Honorable Mention. Awarded by George Rivera at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
- Mohr Gallery at Community School of Music & Art, Mountain View, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind. [February 12- March 25]
2023
· Root Division- Frank Ratchye Space, San Francisco, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind [Feb 10-March 18]
· Medicine for Nightmares, San Francisco, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind [Feb 4-March 11]
2022
· Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind. [Aug 9-Dec 30]
2020
· Doug Adams Gallery, Berkeley, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind in “Art Windows” Project. [Nov 3-Dec]
2014
· La Peña Cultural Center, Berkeley, CA. Euphoric Dance, Footless Dancers. [May 1-June30]
2013
· Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Mountain View, California. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind. [October 15- December 9]
2012
· Avenue 25 Gallery, San Mateo, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind (2010-12). [Aug. 7-Sept-21]
2010
· San José State University, Gallery 5, San José, CA. The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind. [Oct. 25-28]
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
- Martin Luther Jr. King Library, San José, CA. Day of the Dead. [Oct 11- Nov 4]
- WORKS/San José, San José, CA. Secret Public Selves. [July 27-Sept 7]
- New Museum Los Gatos, Los Gatos, CA. Boundaries. [July 19-Oct 6]
- Oakland Secret, Oakland, CA. Counter Current. [July 20]
- Studios 11, Oakland, CA. Root24 [July 5-July 31]
- School of Arts & Culture, San José, CA. An American Mosaic. [Sept 9 – Oct 1]
- Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco, CA [Sept 2- Sept 30]
- MACLA, San José, CA. Latino Art Now. [April 7 -May 20]
- School of Arts & Culture, San José, CA. Tierra y Raíces/Earth and Roots. [March 10-31]
- Nepantla Cultural Arts Center, Seattle, WA. The Art of the Movement. [March 4-26]
- WORKS Gallery, San José, CA. Annual Auction.
2022
- Chopsticks Alley Art. Xanh San José, CA. [Dec 2– Jan 28]
- El Chante Casa de Cultura. CNTL: F**k That! Albuquerque, New Mexico. [Nov 2- March]
- WORKS Gallery. Planter Box Artists. San José, CA. [Aug 5- Sept 2]
- Know Future Art Gallery. Emerge. San José, California. [July]
- Gallery Aferro. Flow. Newark New Jersey. [June 25 - Aug 5]
- Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural. Viva La Femme. Sylmar, California. [March 19 -April 16]
2021
- School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. Afterlife. Presented by WORKS/San José, Curator: Joe Miller San Jose, CA. [Oct 30-Nov 6]
- School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. Avenida de Altares. San Jose, CA. [Oct 30-Nov 4]
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. 15th Annual Art of Remembrance: Día de Muertos Altar Exhibit. Presented with San José Multicultural Artists Guild. (Installation) [Oct 11-Nov 5]
- Triton Museum of Art. In partnership with City of Santa Clara Arts Commission. Breaking Free Sculpture Exhibition. Honorable Mention. [Oct 2 – Nov 28]
- Boricua College Art Gallery. Neo-Latino Experience. Bronx, New York [Sept 24-Oct 22]
- School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. An American Mosaic. Presented by WORKS/San José, Mosaic America, and Chopsticks Alley Art. San Jose, CA.[Sept 10-Oct]
- Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, NC. Arte Latino Now 2021 (online) [April]
2020
- School of Arts and Culture at MHP, San José, CA. Avenida de Altares. (Installation) [Oct 29-31]
- Multicultural Arts Guild and Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San José, CA. 14th Annual Art of Remembrance Virtual Altar Exhibit. (online)[Oct 2- Nov 15]
- WORKS Gallery, San José, CA. Foresight 2020. [Jan 31- March 8]
- Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, NC. Arte Latino Now Fall 2019. [Oct 30-Nov 25]
- Vargas Gallery (Mission College), Santa Clara, CA. Homecoming. [Sept 4-Oct 5]
- New Jersey City University, NJ. Place: The Locus of Memory. [Sept 6-Oct 12]
- Art Space The Gallery Space, Rahway, NJ. Place: The Locus of Memory. [May 5-31]
2018
· Art Space 88 Gallery, Keyport, NJ. #NOWALL@ALL. [September 14-October 12]
· Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. Annual Gala: “Cinco de Mayo”. [May 3-5]
2017
· El Comalito Collective, Vallejo, CA. Muxeres: Conversations on Identity. [September 3-30]
· Tiny Tots (Milk Bank Benefit Exhibition). Campbell, Ca. Parenthood Journey [August 4]
· Diablo Valley College Art Gallery, Pleasant Hill, CA. El Comalito Collective: A Place of Resistance. [March 6-31]
2016
· Vargas Gallery (Mission College), Santa Clara, CA. Dia de los Muertos at Mission. [October 18-November 8]
· Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, New Jersey. Critical Mass. [September 16- November 6]
· Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library, San José, CA. We Are Our Ancestors. [September 2]
2015
· Kean University, Human Rights Institute Gallery, Union, NJ. We Are You Project: An Exhibition on Social Justice and Immigration. [September-January]
· Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. 50th Anniversary Gala. [April 25-May 1]·
· Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), Long Beach, CA. Virtual display at ¡Vivan las Mujeres! Festival. [March 15]
· Hayward Area Historical Society, Hayward, CA. Indigenous Flux. [March 14-April 12]
2014
· Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. Salon at the Triton. [Dec 6- Feb 8]
· San José City Hall, San José, CA. Colors in the Hue of Mexico. [Oct 23]
· Consulate General of Mexico, San José, CA. Expo Catrina. [Oct 4-31]
· UCCS Galleries of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs, CO. We Are You Project. [Sept 4- June 11]
· Fountain Street Fine Art, Framingham, MA. We Are You Project: New England Edition. [June 19-Aug 3]
· Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. Imagine. [Apr 29- Aug 3]
· William V. Musto Cultural Center, Union City, New Jersey. Oasis. [March 29-May 29]
2013
· Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA. Statewide Painting Exhibition/Competition, Honorable Mention. [Dec 7- Feb 4]
· Santa Clara City Hall, Santa Clara, CA. 7th Biennial Indoor Sculpture Exhibition [Sept –Feb]
· Zufall Health Center. Dover, New Jersey. Celebrating Hispanic Culture Through Art [Sept 16-Dec 16]
· National Hispanic University, San José, CA. Dia De Los Muertos Art Exhibition. [Oct 25-26]
Joyce Gordon Gallery, Oakland, CA. We Are You Project International's California Exhibition. [Aug 2-31]
· Galeria Beso Maya, Oakland, CA. El Primer Beso, Inaugural Exhibition, [June 8-July5]
· Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA. Honorable Mention. Summer National Juried Exhibition, [June 1- July 14]
2012
· Michael Gillian Student Union Art Gallery, Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ. We Are You Project International Traveling
Exhibition. [Oct 9-Oct 30]
· Avenue 25 Gallery, San Mateo, California. It’s All About Me. [Sept 24-Nov 2]
· Arts Guild New Jersey, Rahway, NJ. We Are You Project International Traveling Exhibition. [Sept. 9-Oct. 4]
· MACLA, San José, California. Latino Art Now! [April 6-May 19]
· Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba. New York, NY. We Are You Project International Traveling Exhibition. [March 18-May 5]
· Alliant International University, San Francisco, California. Cultures Crossing Borders: Breaking the Silence. [Jan. 23- March 9]
2011
· Mills Pond House Gallery, St. James, New York. American Mosaic. [August 13-September 25]
· South First Billiards, San José, California. Reflejos de Nuestras Raíces. [August 5-October 1]
· ISE Cultural Foundation, New York, NY. Art Student Exhibition in NY 2011. [July 8- August 24]
· IDEA Odyssey Gallery, Seattle, Washington. A Sense of Place. [July 7-August 8]
· WORKS Gallery, San José, CA Out of State: San José State University BFA Exhibition. [May 27-June 18]
· de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA. New Generations: Where to? A Call of the Times[Apr 22]
2010
· WORKS Gallery, San José, California Ring in the New. [December 3-January 7]
· Mills Pond House Gallery, St. James, New York Arte Latino II. [August 14-September 30]
· San José State University, SJSU Gallery III, San José, California Morbid Curiosities. [May 3- 6]
· California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts (CCACA)Davis, CA.[Apr 30- May2]
2007
· MACLA. San José, CA. Gente, Casas y Barrios: A Community Participation Exhibition About People & Neighborhoods. [June 27-July 14]
NEWSPAPER MENTIONS & TV/RADIO INTERVIEWS
2021
- Interview for CONTENT Podcast, CONTENT Magazine, interviewed by Daniel Garcia, [April 6]
- Interview for La Hora del Mitote, Teatro Vision, interviewed by Rodrigo Garcia [April 23]
- The Silicon Valley Voice, “Alumni of Art Classes at Mission College Show Work at Vargas Gallery’s ‘Homecoming’ ” by Cynthia Cheng. [Sept]
- 2017
- The Mercury News, “One-day art exhibit highlighted the joy, difficulties of parenthood,” by Jasmine Leyva. [August]
- The Santa Clara Weekly, “Altar Making Demonstration Honors The Dead At Mission College’s Vargas Gallery” by Cynthia Cheng [Nov 2-8]
- Univision News, filmed commenting next to art at Vargas Gallery [Nov 2]
- The Santa Clara Weekly, Issue 45, by Cynthia Cheng [Nov 2-8]
- Ragazine.cc , “We Are You Project Colorado Springs” by Tara Dervla [August]
- TV Interview for NBC Bay Area's Comunidad del Valle, by Damian Trujillo [July]
- News Mention: Cheng, Dewitt: "The Triton Museum presents works inspired by John Lennon’s “Imagine”, The Stanford Daily. [May]
- Article in Santa Clara Weekly, Volume 43, No. 50, by Melissa McKenzie [Dec]
- TV Interview for NBC Bay Area's Comunidad del Valle, by Damian Trujillo [Nov]
- Radio Interview on KKUP 95.1 FM by Lupe Lujan [November]
- Mention in Ragazine.cc “We Are you Project’s ‘CA Exhibition’” by Dr. Jose Rodeiro [July]
- Radio interview on KSJS, by La China Poblana. [February]
- TV Interview for NBC Bay Area's Comunidad del Valle, by Damian Trujillo [January]
- TV Interview for NBC Bay Area's Comunidad del Valle, by Damian Trujillo. [September]
- TV Interview for Frente Unido Presents, by Arturo Delgado-Rendón. [September]
Hurwich Library of Alliant International University, 2012
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Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 2016
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