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
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Eilen Itzel Mena Feeling Green (2023)
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 48 x (w) 38 cm
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Eilen Itzel Mena Hibiscus (2023)
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 48 x (w) 38 cm
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Eilen Itzel Mena In Waves (2023)
Acrylic on paper monotype(h) 45 x (w) 35.5 cm
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Eilen Itzel Mena The Buzzing Came then Directed Towards Sweetness (2024)
£9,000
Acrylic & oil on hessian(h) 200 x (w) 130 cm
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