Manuel Vega, Jr.
50 W. 97th Street, Suite 6M
New York, NY 10025
Ph. 212-662-6757
email; peregunvega@aol.com
PROFESSION: VISUAL ARTIST
Specialization: Murals, Illustration, Printmaking, Beadwork, Theatrical and Costume Design.
EXPERIENCE:
1999- Present Muralist, “Public Art for Public Spaces” Board of Education
Evander Childs High School, Mural Workshop
1993- Present Set and Costume Designer, Dance Brazil
Creator of all sets and Costumes for Dance Companies latest performance piece “Pivete”, (93)
1992- Present Artist in Residence, “Guggenheim Museum”
“Learning Through Art” Program, Visual Art Instructor for two Public Schools (P.S. 155 & P.S. 198)
1992- Present Artist in Residence, “ Arts Connection”
Conducting Visual Arts and Bead Workshops for High School Program (Wadleigh School, Spring ‘94)
1992- Present Artist in Residence, El Museo Del Barrio
• Conducting Visual Arts Workshops for Education Department.
• Coordinator of “Three Kinds Day Parade” (annual event)
• Artistic Director of Museum Mile Carnaval Project (June ‘94)
Nov. 1991-1993 Northside Center For Child Development
Visual Arts Workshop Instructor (Children’s Program, ages 6-13)
Jan. 1990-1993 Studio Museum in Harlem
Art Workshop Instructor for Co-Op School Program P.S. 205M & P.S. 207M (Wadleigh)
Fall 1990 Caribbean Cultural Center (NYC)
Afro-Caribbean Beadwork Instructor for Community Workshop Programs.
Sept. 1990 Museum of Natural History (NYC)
Mar.- Aug. 1990 Studio Museum in Harlem (NYC)
Sept. - Nov. 1988 Central Park East School
• Art Workshop Instructor
• Conducted Silkscreen Workshops for Junior High School Students.
Experience Continued
Nov. 1986- Nov. ‘87 Children’s Aid Society
• Visual Arts Instructor
• Organized and Directed After School Workshops in Visual Arts, Arts and Crafts and Theater Design for children ages 5-11.
Feb. 1984- Oct. ‘85 Boys Harbor Incorporated
• Visual Arts Instructor
• Developed and Implemented Art Workshops for After School Program.
• Designed and produced stage design for theater program’s productions.
Oct. 1985- Oct. ‘86 Overseas Artist in Residence
Bahia, Brazil
Ongoing Anthropological documentation of Afro-Brazilian Religions. Designed and Executed a series of graphics and costumes
associated with Afro-Brazilian Rituals. Artisan for Carnival Group “Filhos de Gandi”.
Jan. 1979- Jan. ‘84 Taller Boricua Incorporated
• Artist in Residence
• Produced and supervised various art projects for community including Print Making, Graphics and Mural Workshops.
EXHIBITIONS
Oct.2004
00
Penn Valley Community College ,Kansas City,Mo.
May 2004
Carlito’s Cafe/ Galeria
‘’Drums and Chants’’
Feb. 2004
Memorial Mae Menininiha do Gantois
‘’110 Anos de Ashe’’
May 2002 Interfaith Center of New York
“My South Bronx Shango”
Nov. 2002 Caribbean Cultural Center
“Nuyorican Ashe”
May 2001 ACA Galleries NYC
“Liberal voices in the Figurative Tradition”
1996- 2001 “Beads, Body and Soul” National Tour
June 1999 Miami Museum: Miami, Florida
Beadwork Exhibition: “Beads, Body and Soul”
April 1990 Open Center: New York, NY
Artist Retrospective
Oct. 1998 Connecticut State University
“Spiritual Visions”
Sept. 1998 Metropolitan Pavilion New York, NY
“Maferefun-Cuba”.
Apr. 1998 “New Work, New Vision, Taller Boricua”.
Jan. 1998 Fowler Museum, UCLA; Los Angeles, CA.
Beadwork Exhibition: “Beads, Body & Soul”.
Feb. 1996 The Hood Museum: Dartmouth College
Installation and Exhibition of Paintings entitled “Calling the Gods”.
April 1995 El Museo del Barrio, NYC
“Reaffirming Spirituality”. Group show.
June- Aug. 1994 Kenkeleba Gallery, NYC
“Puerto Rican Embassy”. Group show.
Nov.- Dec. 1988 Creative Time Inc., El Museo del Barrio
“Up Tiempo. Group show.
Dec. 1988- Jan. ‘89 Bronx Council of the Arts
“Art for All Seasons”. Group show.
June- Aug. 1987 Caribbean Cultural Center
“Mo Dupe Orisa Mi” One man show.
Nov. 1998 Rutgers University
Group show.
Mar.- Apr. 1982 Association of Hispanic Arts
“Hispanic Artist in New York”. Group show.
Feb. - Mar. 1982 Bronx Museum.
“Bronx Artist”. Group show.
Apr. - May 1981 Taller Boricua at Houstonac University
Group Show.
Sept. 1980 Galleria Morivivi, NYC
“Ritual Images”. Group show.
1980 Con Edison Satellite Galleries
“Bronx Museum Project”
1979 Taller Boricua
One man show.
Commisions;
Mosaic mural of Julia de Burgos , 2006
Mosaic commision for Pregones Theater , 2006
• Restoration of full wall mural (4 stories) on 104th Street and Lexington Avenue, NYC.1997
• Hand painted Timbales, commissioned by Latin Percussion for Tito Puente, March 1988, and in 2000.
• Mural for Broadway Production, “The Capeman”, by Paul Simon 1997
• Metropolitan Transit Authority- “Arts For Transit” Program 110th Street and Lexington Ave. Subway Station. Mosaic Mural
project, 1996. (4 Mosaic Murals)
• “SITES” Construction Authority, Wadleigh High School Mural. Project, Spring 1992.
• Association of Hispanic Arts. Subway Poster. December 1988.
• Puerto Rico Theater, Designed and Illustrated 62’ x 15’ mural entitled “El Teatro Puerto Rico”. June - September 1987.
• Museo Del Barrio, Supervised Workshops, designed Graphics. 1975 - 1988.
• United Bronx Parents, Mural Project 1980.
• Visual Arts Center Relating to the Caribbean Graphics. 1980- 1981.
• Association of Hispanic Arts, C.E.T.A. Artist Project 1979- 1981.
• Cityarts Workshop, Mural Project. 1980.
• Metropolitan Museum of the Arts, The Cloister Festival Workshop. 1975.
• Board of Education, Chapter 720, District # Workshops. 1977.
Lincoln Center for the performing arts, [LA CASITA, 2001-2006]
PORTFOLIO
• Featured in “Edicion Especial”, Telemundo 1997.
• Featured artist on “De Cerca”, Univision Television, Dec. 1996.
• Commissioned by Latin Percussion, Inc. to design and paint a drum ensemble for Tito Puente. 1994 and again in 1998.
• Featured in “New York- The Secret African City” by Dr. Robert Ferris Thompson.
• Appearance on ABC Network Television Program: “Tiempo” 6/87.
• Appearance on NBC Network Television Program: “Visiones” 9/83.
• Public Service Announcements for Bronx Council of the Arts, aired on NBC, PBS 1982-1983.
• A selection of Original Drawings, Graphics, Posters, Slides and a Video Cassette available for viewing.
AWARDS
• “Penny McAll” Artist Fellowship awarded through Creative Time, Inc. Nov. 1990.
• Printmaking Workshop- Minority Artist in Residence Fellowship 1989- 1990.
• Bronx Council on the Arts- Artist in Residence Fellowship- 1988.
LECTURES
Various lectures on Afro-Brazilian icons and symbolism at the Caribbean Cultural Center, Studio Museum in Harlem, Metropolitan
Museum, Yale University, Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fowler Museum, Fordham University,
Connecticut State University, Dartmouth College.
LANGUAGES
Proficient in Spanish and Portuguese.
Portfolio, Video, CD-Rom and Slides Available Upon Request