Eilen Itzel Mena
Eilen Itzel Mena’s practice is a vibrant expression of Afro-diasporic spirituality, weaving personal introspection with deep ancestral and earthly connections.
Mena uses painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation, and performance to explore personal and collective memory, navigating the intertwined paths of grief, joy, and transformation.
“I’ve been thinking about my ancestors just as much as life in general and the potential that life brings. It’s made me aware of my own ongoingness and purpose in this world.”
– Eilen Itzel Mena
A central theme in Eilen Itzel Mena’s work is the cycle of life and death, expressed through natural motifs like flowers and landscapes. Her art intertwines these weighty themes with a playful, almost childlike aesthetic, offering a fresh perspective on traditional representations of trauma. By blending semi-representational and abstract forms, Mena crafts a visual language that reveals the profound emotional resonance of her symbols.
Mena’s use of vibrant colors suggests a multifaceted vision that reimagines reality and deepens our understanding of our interactions with ourselves, others, the earth, and the universe. Each stroke has a deliberate purpose, animating abstract and spiritual entities beyond the physical realm through vivid contoured lines.
“If there’s something I want people to walk away with when they see my art, it’s the oneness.”
– Eilen Itzel Mena
About the Artist
Eilen Itzel Mena is an Afro-Dominican American artist, writer, and community organizer originally from the South Bronx and now based in London, UK.
In 2017, Mena earned a BA in Fine Art from the USC Roski School of Art and Design. In June 2024, she completed her MFA in Painting at the UCL Slade School of Fine Art with distinction.
Mena’s recent solo exhibitions include In Bloom at Kira Streletzki in Berlin and the Slade MA/MFA Postgraduate Degree Shows in London. She has also participated in impressive group shows such as You Can Sit with Us in London, Threaded Together in Lakeville, and Inestable in Mexico City.
Mena has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Adrian Carruthers Studio Prize from ACME and the Terence Cuneo Prize from the Slade School of Fine Art. She also works as a Co-Director for Honey and Smoke, a global artist community and platform dedicated to exploring important contemporary themes through creative inquiry, education, interactive experiences, and digital content.
Artworks
-
Eilen Itzel Mena Feeling Green (2023)
$1,000
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 48 x (w) 38 cm
-
Eilen Itzel Mena Hibiscus (2023)
$1,000
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 48 x (w) 38 cm
-
Eilen Itzel Mena In Waves (2023)
$1,000
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 45 x (w) 35.5 cm
-
Eilen Itzel Mena The Buzzing Came then Directed Towards Sweetness (2024)
$9,000
Acrylic & oil on hessian(h) 200 x (w) 130 cm
Discover emerging artists
Latest Articles
Joana Vasconcelos at MICAS: Art and Identity in Malta
The Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) opened with Transcending the Domestic by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, renowned for her monumental sculptures and immersive installations. The exhibition marks the start of MICAS’s bid to become a global contemporary art hub. Joana Vasconcelos, known for her large-scale, mesmerizing installations, has created a collection of works that transform everyday domestic objects into
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Engadin: A Dialogue Between New York and Switzerland
Engadin at Hauser & Wirth St. Moritz showcases Jean-Michel Basquiat’s fascination with the Alpine lifestyle, including his enjoyment of cross-country skiing and local agricultural shows. His time in Switzerland, which included fifteen visits, provided a stark contrast to his life in New York. The exhibition delves Basquiat’s unique relationship with the Swiss Alps, which began in 1982, highlighting his experiences
Christie’s 2024 Sales Decline by 6% Amid Market Shifts
Christie’s generated $5.7 billion in 2024 from live and online auctions, as well as private sales of art and luxury goods, a 6% drop from $6.1 billion in 2023. The results, shared in the company’s earnings call, reflect changing buyer behavior and a more cautious approach amid global economic uncertainties. Guillaume Cerutti, CEO of Christie’s, described the year’s market trends
Art Basel Miami Beach 2024: Sales Highlights and Market Trends
Art Basel Miami Beach 2024 (ABMB) saw Hauser & Wirth’s USD 4.75 million sale of a David Hammons piece lead a week of strong sales, including Yayoi Kusama’s painting for USD 3.5 million at David Zwirner, a Georg Baselitz bronze for EUR 2.5 million at Thaddaeus Ropac, and a Sam Gilliam painting for USD 1 million at Pace. Georg Baselitz’s
Notre-Dame’s Grand Reopening: Five Years of Restoration and Renewal
In an extraordinary feat of perseverance and craftsmanship, Notre-Dame’s grand reopening marks the completion of a historic five-year restoration after the 2019 fire, fulfilling President Macron’s promise. Though exterior work continues at the iconic Gothic masterpiece, the interiors are more stunning than ever. The world looked on in disbelief as a catastrophic fire ravaged Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019, destroying much
Lauren Halsey at Serpentine South: Celebrating Community, Confronting Inequality
Lauren Halsey blends Afrofuturism, funk, and local iconography to explore Black empowerment, queerness, and resistance to gentrification. In her emajendat exhibition at London’s Serpentine South Gallery, Halsey’s work celebrates community vitality while confronting systemic inequities. Over the past decade, Halsey has developed a unique artistic language rooted in her generational ties to South Central. Through site-specific installations and mixed-media sculptures,
