Nitza Tufiño was born in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
in 1949 and is a visual artist.
Background
She grew up in
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. In her youth, she learned graphic arts whiled working with her father, the painter
Rafael Tufiño
Rafael Tufiño Figueroa (October 30, 1922 – March 13, 2008) was a Puerto Rican painter, printmaker and cultural figure in Puerto Rico, known locally as the "Painter of the People".
Early life
Rafael Tufiño Figueroa was born on October 30, 1 ...
. During her time at
Academia de San Carlos
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...
, Tufiño met and was inspired by
David Alfaro Siqueiros
David Alfaro Siqueiros (born José de Jesús Alfaro Siqueiros; December 29, 1896 – January 6, 1974) was a Mexican social realist painter, best known for his large public murals using the latest in equipment, materials and technique. Along with ...
.
After earning a B.F.A. from the
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public university, public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countri ...
, she moved to New York City.
Artwork
In 1969, together with a group of artists, educators and activists, Tufiño founded
El Museo del Barrio
El Museo del Barrio, often known simply as El Museo (the museum), is a museum at 1230 Fifth Avenue in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is located near the northern end of Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile, immediately north of the Museum of the City ...
.
The museum's façade was the site of her first public mural.
Tufiño's ceramic murals have been commissioned for a number of public locations including the 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue subway station, the
Third Street Music School, and
LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College is a Public college, public Community colleges in the United States, community college in New York City. It is in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens in and part of the City University of New York. LaGuardia i ...
. Tufino's ceramic mural for P.S. 12 depicts scenes from Brooklyn's West Indian Day Parade, held annually on Labor Day.
Awards
She has received numerous awards including one from the
Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the 1991 “Outstanding Puerto Rican Professional in the Arts Awards” from the Office of Andrew Stein, New York City Council President and the Association of Hispanic Arts, as well as grants and fellowships from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tufiño's commitment to public art led her to be recognized as El Taller Boricua's first female artist in 1970, and has been involved with El Taller since that time. Nitza is also a member of “El Consejo Grafico”, a national coalition of Latino printmaking workshops and individual printmakers.
References
Further reading
* Espinoza, Martin. (6 January 2009)
"20 years later, subway mural project is still a source of pride for the artists."''New York Times''. New York Times, 6 September 2009. Web. 1 February 2014.
* Goldman, Shifra M. et al., eds
"Latin American artists of the USA."'' Grove Art Online''. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 3 February 2014.
* Goode-Bryant, Linda, and Nitza Tufiño. "Nitza Tufiño, Visual Artist."
Artist and Influence'. 13 (1994). Print.
External links
Artist homepage of Nitza Tufiño* https://www.nitzatufino.com/about-2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tufino, Nitza
1949 births
Living people
Artists from Mexico City
Puerto Rican women artists
American women ceramists
American ceramists
Artists from New York City
21st-century American women artists
21st-century ceramists