Marta Lahens Conde
San Juan, PR, 1975
Biography Details
Painter and educator. In 1993 she was awarded the Cleveland Institute of Art's Porfolio Scholarship where, subsequently in 1998, she obtained her BFA with a minor in Art History. She was amongst the top twenty from her class, becoming a semifinalist for the Traveling Gund Award. In June 2007, she obtained her Master's in Painting from Universidad Interamericana in San Germán, Puerto Rico. During her formative years between 1993 and 1998, she also dedicated herself to work as counselor, tutor and teacher of art in Puerto Rico and Cleveland. She currently teaches painting at Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina in Carolina, Puerto Rico. In 2000, she received the prestigious Artist's Grant from Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont in the United Sates. In her work, she combines elements that go from modernism to abstraction which generate lyrical, minimalist and abstract landscapes, producing feelings of isolation and meditation.
Artist Statement
“Sometimes in our lives we find ourselves embarking on a journey, suddenly, difficult situations surface that evoke memories, feelings, nostalgia or longing for the company of that special someone. It is then, throughout that course, that we become aware of the desire to go back to that place where we felt fulfilled, at peace, and in harmony. In the course of that journey, we discover something that makes us go, or bring us back home."
Marta Lahens Conde (2003)
Source: El camino que me lleva a casa: Martha Lahens, Catalogue. Galería La Pintadera (San Juan, Puerto Rico), mayo de 2004.
Lahens shows us through her abstract landscapes places and natural sights that, over time, pace of life and progress, we see disappear. In her landscapes we see the sea, countryside, mountains, sky, and the city as a visual gift for whoever contemplates them. These are places and landscapes full of exuberant beauty and color, that invite us to reflect on the simplicity of life, inner beauty, works that generate awareness that life’s value lies not in its duration but in its content.
Source: Entorno de lo natural a lo urbano. El Vocero Newspaper, (San Juan, Puerto Rico), April, 30, 2002, p. E19.
Formation
Education
2007
- Masters in Painting. Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, San Germán Campus, San Germán, Puerto Rico
1998
-
Bachelor of Fine Arts. Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Professional Experience
2009-present
- Art teacher.Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina, Carolina, Puerto Rico
2007
- Professor.Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, San Germán Campus, San Germán, Puerto Rico
1993-1998
- Art counselor, tutor and teacher. Puerto Rico; Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2012
- Figuraciones, Galería Viota, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2010
- Trópico: Exuberancia y color, Galería José Tous Soto, Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico, El Capitolio, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2009
- Degustarte, Intercontinental Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Trópico, Galería Viota, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2007
- Contemplaciones, Galería de Arte, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005
- Vivencias, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- El Camino que me lleva a casa, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2003
- Paisajes del Alma, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- Entorno: De lo natural a lo urbano, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2000
- Paisajes: Alegoría y espíritu, Galería Prinardi, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Solo Show, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Group Shows
2014
- Julia a través del tiempo, Casa Escuté, Carolina, Puerto Rico
2013
- 25 Aniversario, Galería Viota, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Por la Libre, Museo de Arte e Historia René Marqués, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico: Puerta al Paisaje, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2010
- Latin Art: Passion and Identity, Family Heritage House Museum, Bradenton, Florida, United States
2009
- Latin Art: Passion and Identity, Art Center of Sarasota, Florida, United States
- Latin American Art in XXI, Broward Community College, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- De lo humano a lo divino, Casa Escuté, Carolina, Puerto Rico
- 7ma Gran Subasta de la Cruz Roja, Caparra Country Club, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Colección Reyes-Veray, Museo Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2007
- Fundación Pintor Zegarra to benefit Hogar La Providencia, Hogar La Providencia, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005
- Exposición Apoyarte, Museo de las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- APOYARTE, Art Gallery, Universidad Central de Bayamón, Hotel Wyndham Condado Plaza Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Nuevas adquisiciones, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 7ma Gran Subasta, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2003
- Pequeño Formato 03, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 6ta Gran Subasta, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Exposición Inaugural, Uri Art Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- Reinterpretando Nuestra Navidad, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Artistas Frente al SIDA, Paseo de la Princesa, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Recurrencias y Recreaciones del Arte, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 5ta Gran Subasta, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 6ta Subasta de Arte a Beneficio del Fondo de Emergencia para Artistas Contemporáneos, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2001
- Colectiva de Navidad, Galería de la Calle del Cristo, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Colectiva de Artistas, Plaza las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2000
- Colectiva de Navidad, Galería Prinardi, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Dueto de la Mujer, Galería Prinardi, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1998
- Charles Mayer Gallery, Akron, Ohio, United States
- Student Summer Show, Reinberg Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
1997
- Noche de Gala Julia de Burgos, Wyndham Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2000
- Artist’s Fellowship. Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont, United States
1998
- Semifinalist. Traveling Gund Award, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
1993
- Scholarship. Cleveland Institute of Art’s Portfolio, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Collections
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Cooperativa de Seguros Múltiples de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Casa Club Sabanera de Dorado, Dorado, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte de Arecibo, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Bibliography
Catalogues
‘”Marta Lahens – Entorno: De lo Natural a lo Urbano.” Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayo 2002.
“El camino que me lleva a casa: Martha Lahens.”’ Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayo de 2004.
“Martha Lahens: Vivencias.” Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 29 de abril de 2005.
“Paisaje: Alegoría y espíritu/ Pinturas Recientes de Marta Lahens Conde.” Galería Prinardi, San Juan, Puerto Rico, septiembre 2000.
“Quinta Gran Subasta.” Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, junio de 2002.
Newspapers
Alegre Mario, Barrios. “Con los ojos del alma.” El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 18 de abril de 2007, p. 100.
“Entorno de lo natural a lo urbano.” El Vocero (San Juan, PR), 30 de abril de 2002, p. E19.
“Paisajes Mixtos en la Pintadera.”’ El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), mayo de 2002, p. 82.
Rodríguez, Jorge. “Trópico, exuberancia y color en obras de Marta Lahens.” El Vocero (San Juan, PR), p. 41.
Rodríguez, Jorge. “”Marta Lahens en Viota: Una maga del color.” El Vocero (San Juan, PR), 13 de diciembre de 2012, p. 21.
Web
“Las Pinturas Líricas de Marta Lahens.” Revista Salud Para Ti (San Juan, PR), http://www.revistasaludparati.com/index.php/secciones/arte/162-las-pintu...
“Popurrí Artístico.”’ Primera Hora (San Juan, PR), octubre 16 de 2008, http://www.primerahora.com/estilos-de-vida/cultura/nota/popurriartistico...
“”De Aniversario la Galería Viota.” Ocean Drive (San Juan, PR), 6 de septiembre de 2013, http://oceandrivepr.com/tag/marta-lahens/.