Frank X. Méndez
New York, USA, 1937
Biography Details
Photographer and graphic artist. Méndez studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York City, graduating in 1966 with a major in graphic arts and photography. In 1976–77 he was the recipient of a New York State CAPS Fellowship, and in 1977 he moved to Puerto Rico. Since then, he has taken part in solo and group shows in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Italy. His subject-matter is varied, almost always centering on human situations. His interest in images of cemeteries, which led to a portfolio series, was strengthened by encouragement from photographer Jack Delano, who inspired him to turn his gaze on subjects that had already been seen by others. His photographs are distinguished, in general, by being exclusively in black and white and using only natural light, by using traditional silver-gelatin development processes, and by being produced with cameras yielding 4 X 5 negatives, which multiply the tonal values.
Artist Statement
“My pictures are simple, honest and they don’t hurt anyone”.
Frank X. Méndez, 1976
Source: Ann Bliss, Peggy. “Mujer”. The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), December 26, 1976.
“I got interested in photography when I was in my late thirties. The fact that I began taking photographs relatively late in life is for me, I think an advantage. Photography requires enormous commitment, skill, luck and the ability to be totally involved and honest to the photographic image.”
Frank X. Méndez, 1986
Source: Nueva Luz photographic journal, Volume 1, #3 (En Foco: Bronx, 1986). http://dev.enfoco.org/photography/photographers/view/240/frank-x-mndez
Formation
Education
1966
- Bachelor of fine arts with a major in graphic design and photography. Parsons School of Design, New York, United States
1963
- Specialized Courses. School of the Visual Arts, New York, United States
Professional Experience
1977-Present
- Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer. Puerto Rico
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2001
- Portraits of Puerto Rico, New York Public Library, Fordham, New York, United States
1982
- Zoom Photo Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1976
- Galleria Nadar, Pisa, Italy
1973
- Discovery Gallery, New York, United States
Group Shows
2013
- En Foco | In Focus, Venice Arts Gallery, California, United States
- En Foco | In Focus, California Institute of Integral Studies, California, United States
2012
- En Foco | In Focus, Art Museum of the Americas (AMA), Washington D.C., United States
- En Foco | In Focus, Aljira, A Center For Contemporary Art, New Jersey, United States
2011
- En Foco | In Focus, Light Work Art Gallery and Photography Lab, New York, United States
2007
- Contexto puertorriqueño: del rococó colonial al arte global, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- La fotografía como concepto, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1995
- Island Journey, Hostos Center of the Arts and Culture, New York, United States
1994
- FotoFest ‘94, Fifth International Festival of Photography, Houston, Texas, United States
1992
- Foto 92, Museo del Grabado, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1990
- IX Festival de Arte Contemporáneo, Plaza Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Foto 90, Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1988
- VIII Festival de Arte Contemporáneo, Plaza Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1987
- Our Daily Bread, Liga de Arte de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1986
- A Decade of En Foco, Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, United States
1985
- Nueva fotografía Puertorriquena, Museo de Historia, Antroplogía y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1983
- La Gran Pasión, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, United States
1981
- Autorretratos, El Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1979
- La Familia, El Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
1976
- Mujer, McGraw-Hill Pavillion, New York, United States
- Photographers Choice, Crossroads Gallery, New York, United States
1974
- View of Seeing, Neikrug Gallery, New York, United States
- Chinese Art Festival, Columbus Park, New York, United States
- Focus 74, Gallery 1199, New York, United States
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
1987
- First Prize, Professional Category. Jack Daniel’s Photographic Contest, Liga de Arte de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1976-1977
- Grant. New York State Creative Artist Public Service Program (CAPS), New York, United States
Collections
- El Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
- Eugenio María de Hostos Community College, New York, United States
- En Foco Inc., New York, United States
Bibliography
Catalogues
“Contexto puertorriqueño: del rococó colonial al arte global”. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2007.
Newspapers
Ann Bliss, Peggy. “Mujer”. The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), December 26, 1976.
Rodriguez, Myrna. “Foto 90 exhibit shines at Museo del Arsenal”. The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), January 30, 1990, p. 29.
Web
Castro, Príncipe. “Reseña: PR Pausa y Movimiento Dentro y Fuera”. Fotografía101 (San Juan, PR), 28 octubre 2011. http://www.fotografia101.com/resena-pr-pausa-y-movimiento-dentro-y-fuera/
“En Foco: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection”. Uprising Art, August 02, 2012.
http://blog.uprising-art.com/en/en-foco-ama-2/
Ferdin and Protzman. “Expoures Too Long Ignored”. Washingtonpost, June 13, 1997. http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/archive/lifestyle/1997/06/13/exposures-...
“Frank X. Méndez”. EnFoco, Photographers (New York, USA), 2015. http://dev.enfoco.org/photography/photographers/view/240/frank-x-mndez
Lopez Aviles, Ileana. “The Concept of Photography”. Puerto Rico Herald, July 17, 2002.
http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n31/FotoConcept-en.html
Manon, Junior. “Group Promotes Photography by Minority Artists”. Norwood News (New York, USA), Vol. 14, No. 12, June 14-27, 2001.
http://www.bronxmall.com/norwoodnews/past/061401/features/page3.html
Raynor, Vivien. “Art; Photographs With a Puerto Rican Imprint”. The New York Times (New York, USA), December 24, 1995.
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/24/nyregion/art-photographs-with-a-puerto...