Bio
Alondra Ruiz-Hernandez is a Mexican Canadian cross-disciplinary artist. She spent six years in academia expanding her practice and knowledge, holding an MA in Fine Art from UAL’s Chelsea College of Arts, London, United Kingdom with First Class Honours. Alondra completed a BFA in Drawing and Painting and minored in Social Sciences from OCAD University in Toronto, Canada, graduating both fields of study with First Class Honours and Distinction. Her interest in diverse cultures and informed research helped Alondra win a coveted place at OCAD University’s self-directed Florence Program and a scholarship to study Chinese culture at Jiangnan University, China.
Alondra’s dedication to her work has led to 39 national and international exhibitions, including three solo exhibitions, seven large-scale festivals, and 15 juried exhibitions, a published paper along with an award in academic writing, and 20 awards in Fine Art. She exhibited at the Archäologisches Museum Innsbruck, The British Library, The Bloomsbury Festival, MAFA International Festival, ‘LATE AT TATE’ Tate Britain, Toronto Biennial of Art, and Kitchener’s TheMuseum. Her work has been presented in ten international publications for audiences in Austria, United Kingdom, Canada, and Mexico.
Alondra is well versed in public discussions, as she has participated in eight public panels including at Toronto Biennial of Art ‘Unknowable Unknowing’, Kitchener’s TheMuseum, OCAD University, and Goodenough College. On these panels, she discussed topics ranging from my artistic practice to climate change, politics, the de-stigmatising of menstruation, and period poverty, all from an artist’s perspective.
Alondra acted as an art juror for four events, a visual director for the Bloomsbury Festival, and most recently worked as an artist assistant for Lucy & Jorge Orta in Les moulins, France. She is currently working as the principal artist for the Mexican Embassy’s El Dia de los Muertos Festival in London UK.
Statement
Alondra’s core question is how, as an artist, can she contribute and support an equitable, collaborative, sustainable and diverse world? Her work explores the notion of a traumatized society, vulnerability, transformation and collective consciousness.
Alondra expands on Mcluhan’s analogy of the collective society as one “global nervous system” and suggests that this structure, like any other consciousness, can also experience trauma and react accordingly. Our present crises (climate & migrant) represent impending issues that highlight a deeper interwoven predicament as they are by-products of an already broken society.
Are we living in a traumatized society? Does our capacity to dehumanize others for capital gain and to destroy our planet points to collective trauma? How can societies offer solace, coping mechanisms, and healing to satisfy the psychic need for certainty and solid ground in a world that is in constant flux? How do we deal with a crisis of meaning and isolation from the rest of the community?
Alondra's work explores the notion of a traumatized society, vulnerability, transformation and collective consciousness.
Education
• 2020-2021, UAL Chelsea College of Arts, MA Fine Arts, London, United Kingdom
• 2015-2020, OCAD University, Drawing & Painting Major, Social Science Minor, Toronto, Canada
• 2017-2018, OCAD University, Off-Campus Florence Program, Florence, Italy
• 2017, Jiangnan University, Chinese Culture Program, Wuxi, China
• 2013-2015, Etobicoke School of Arts, Contemporary Visual Arts Program, Toronto, Canada
• 2011-2013, Cawthra Park SS, Visual Arts Program, Toronto, Canada
Solo Exhibition
• 2021, Somatic Shift, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• 2020-2021, The Night’s Breath Responds to the Sea, Quest Art, Midland, Canada
• 2017, Stitching Time, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Events
• 2021, The Faces at Braga, Performance reciting David Whyte's poem, William Goodenough College, United Kingdom
• 2020, LATE AT TATE BRITAIN ONLINE, TATE, London, United Kingdom
Festivals
• 2021, The Contemporary Art Festival Premierentage, Postcards from Isolation, Archäologisches Museum Innsbruck, Austria
• 2021, Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Life, La Isla Para Morir, British Library, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, Bloomsbury Festival, Shades of Light, Conway Hall, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, MAFA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, Chelsea College of Arts, International
• 2020 ERIC Festival, ERIC, Online
• 2019, Toronto Biennial of Art, Unknowable Unknowing, Toronto, Canada
Juried Exhibitions
• 2021, La Isla Para Morir, British Library, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, Recast: Turning the Symbolic into the Concrete, Community Garden Art Collective, Online
• 2020 RUPTURE • T O N I C • REGENERATE, QuaranTonics, Online
• 2019, Unknowable Unknowing, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• 2019, FLOW | The Menstruation Exhibition, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, Canada
• 2018, Figureworks, Winner of the Honourable Mention, St Brigid's Centre for the Arts, Ottawa, Canada
• 2017, The Art of Talking to Yourself, 187 Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2016, Re-Vision, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2016, Where Are You Really From? Daniels Spectrum, Toronto, Canada
• 2016, Salon X, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, Magenta Flash Forward, Incubator Program, Twist Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, Salon IX, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2014, Migration, Nuit Blanche, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2014, Photo & Film Festival, Artisans at Work, Toronto, Canada
Group Exhibitions
• 2021, Postcards from Isolation, Archäologisches Museum Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
• 2021, D.R. Show III, Triangle Building, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, D.R. Show II, Triangle Building, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, D.R. Show I, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, RALLY!, Chelsea College of Arts, London, United Kingdom and International Location
• 2021, Utopian Worlds, Digital Exhibition, International collaborations
• 2021, Winter Salon Project, Digital Exhibition, London, United Kingdom
• 2020, Cookhouse Exhibition, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• 2020, Track & Fauna, Outdoor Performance Piece, London, United Kingdom
• 2020, Connected Disconnection,Video Exhibition, UAL Chelsea College of Arts, London, United Kingdom
•2019, GradEx 104, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• 2019, A Night of Filth & Decadence, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• 2018, Frutti: The Fruits of Our Labour, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• 2018, Emulsion II, 14 Via Bonifacio Lupi, Florence, Italy
• 2017, Emulsion I, 14 Via Bonifacio Lupi, Florence, Italy
• 2016. Awenda Inspired, Ada Slaight Student Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, The Contact Photography Exhibition, Artscape Youngplace, Toronto, Canada
• 2014, Portfolio Day 5, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
Art Booth
• 2019, REFLECT, RAW TO, Mod Club Theatre, Toronto, Canada
Awards
• 2020, The Social Science Award, OCAD U
• 2018, Figureworks, Honourable Mention
• 2015, ‘I AM THE NEW SCHOOL’ Finalist, Parsons, The New School
• 2015, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Gold Key Award for Art Portfolio
• 2015, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 3 Gold Key Awards (Photography)
• 2015, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 5 Silver Key Awards (Photography)
• 2015, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Silver Key Award (Painting)
• 2015, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 8 Honorable Mentions
• 2014, The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Honorable Mention
Talks
• 2021, Port Talk, William Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• 2020, The Night’s Breath Responds to the Sea Artist Conversation, Quest Art, Midland, Canada
• 2019, Artist Panel FLOW | The Menstruation Exhibition, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, Canada
• 2016, Meet the Artist, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, ART TALK 4, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, Meet the Artist, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Juror
• 2019, Audition Day, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, Audition Day, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
Publication
• 2021, Büro für Gegenwartskunst (Contemporary Art Office), Die Premierentage des Festivals für zeitgenössische Kunst (The Contemporary Art Festival Premierentage Art), Austria
• 2019, BlogTo, featured in '25 Artist to Watch from the OCADU Graduation Exhibition' article, Canada
• 2019, Canadian Art, Image featured in 'Canadian Museum Plans Exhibition on Menstruation' article, Canada
• 2018-2019, Photo Ed Magazine, full page on the digital edition of 'Studio Magic: Baby it's Cold Outside', Canada
• 2018, Wot Is Art? full page on '2018 February Edition' print, UK
• 2018, A5 Magazine, full page on '2018 February Edition' print, UK
• 2017, Development of Dystopic Scenarios, 10 artworks in academic design guide, Mexico
Publication Project
• 2020, MAFAZINE, London, United Kingdom
Work Experience
• 2021, Poster designer for Shades of Light in Bloomsbury Festival, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, Poster designer for Port Talk, Memento Mori, Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• 2021, Poster designer for Port Talk, The Crisis of Capitalism, Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• 2018-2020, OCAD U Photographer, OCAD U, Toronto, Canada
• 2019, Private Art Lessons, (building students portfolio to apply to art high-school), Toronto, Canada
• 2018, Volunteer Photographer, The Nook, Toronto, Canada
• 2018, Photographer, OCAD U CO Events x2, Toronto, Canada
• 2017, Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• 2016, Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• 2015, Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• 2014-2015, Private Art Lessons for Children, Mississauga, Canada
Education
2020-2021
2015–2020
2017–2018
2017
2013–2015
2011–2013
• UAL Chelsea College of Arts, MA Fine Arts, London, United Kingdom
• OCAD University, Drawing & Painting Major, Social Science Minor, Toronto, Canada
• OCAD University, Off-Campus Florence Program, Florence, Italy
• Jiangnan University, Chinese Culture Program, Wuxi, China
• Etobicoke School of Arts, Contemporary Visual Arts Program, Toronto, Canada
• Cawthra Park SS, Visual Arts Program, Toronto, Canada
Solo Exhibition
Events
2021
2020-2021
2017
• Somatic Shift, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• The Night’s Breath Responds to the Sea, Quest Art, Midland, Canada
• Stitching Time, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2021
2020
• The Faces at Braga, Performance reciting David Whyte's poem, William Goodenough College, United
• Kingdom
• LATE AT TATE BRITAIN ONLINE, TATE, London, United Kingdom
Festivals
Juried Exhibitions
2021
2020
2019
• The Contemporary Art Festival Premierentage, Postcards from Isolation, Archäologisches Museum
• Innsbruck, Austria
• Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Life, British Library, London, United Kingdom
• Bloomsbury Festival, Shades of Light, Conway Hall, London, United Kingdom
• MAFA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, Chelsea College of Arts, International
• ERIC Festival, ERIC, Online
• Toronto Biennial of Art, Unknowable Unknowing, Toronto, Canada
• La Isla Para Morir, British Library, London, United Kingdom
• Recast: Turning the Symbolic into the Concrete, Community Garden Art Collective, Online
• RUPTURE • T O N I C • REGENERATE, QuaranTonics, Online
• Unknowable Unknowing, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• FLOW | The Menstruation Exhibition, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, Canada
• Figureworks, Winner of the Honourable Mention, St Brigid's Centre for the Arts, Ottawa, Canada
• The Art of Talking to Yourself, 187 Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Re-Vision, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Where Are You Really From? Daniels Spectrum, Toronto, Canada
• Salon X, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Magenta Flash Forward, Incubator Program, Twist Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Salon IX, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Migration, Nuit Blanche, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Photo & Film Festival, Artisans at Work, Toronto, Canada
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Group Exhibitions
• Postcards from Isolation II, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, UK
• Postcards from Isolation, Archäologisches Museum Innsbruck, Austria
• RALLY!, Chelsea College of Arts, London, United Kingdom and International Location
• D.R. Show III, Triangle Building, London, United Kingdom
• D.R. Show II, Triangle Building, London, United Kingdom
• D.R. Show I, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• Utopian Worlds, Digital Exhibition, International collaborations
• Winter Salon Project, Digital Exhibition, London, United Kingdom
• Cookhouse Exhibition, The Cookhouse Gallery, London, United Kingdom
• Track & Fauna, Outdoor Performance Piece, London, United Kingdom
• Connected Disconnection,Video Exhibition, UAL Chelsea College of Arts, London, United Kingdom
• GradEx 104, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• A Night of Filth & Decadence, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• Frutti: The Fruits of Our Labour, The Great Hall OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• Emulsion II, 14 Via Bonifacio Lupi, Florence, Italy
• Emulsion I, 14 Via Bonifacio Lupi, Florence, Italy
• Awenda Inspired, Ada Slaight Student Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• The Contact Photography Exhibition, Artscape Youngplace, Toronto, Canada
• Portfolio Day 5, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Art Booth
2019
• REFLECT, RAW TO, Mod Club Theatre, Toronto, Canada
Awards
2020
2018
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2014
• The Social Science Award, OCAD U
• Figureworks, Honourable Mention
• ‘I AM THE NEW SCHOOL’ Finalist, Parsons, The New School
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Gold Key Award for Art Portfolio
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 3 Gold Key Awards (Photography)
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 5 Silver Key Awards (Photography)
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Silver Key Award (Painting)
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 8 Honorable Mentions
• The Scholastic Arts Awards, 1 Honorable Mention
Talks
• Academic Committee's Port Talk Panel on COP 26, Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• Port Talk, William Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• The Night’s Breath Responds to the Sea Artist Conversation, Quest Art, Midland, Canada
• Artist Panel FLOW | The Menstruation Exhibition, THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, Canada
• Meet the Artist, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• ART TALK 4, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• Meet the Artist, Propeller Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2021
2020
2019
2016
2015
Juror
2021
2017
2016
• Bloomsbury Festival, Shades of Light, London, United Kingdom
• Audition Day, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• Audition Day, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
Publication
• Büro für Gegenwartskunst (Contemporary Art Office), Die Premierentage des Festivals für
• zeitgenössische Kunst (The Contemporary Art Festival Premierentage Art), Austria
• Arts and Science Review, Myriad Masculinities in a Patriarchal World, OCADU
• BlogTo, featured in '25 Artist to Watch from the OCADU Graduation Exhibition' article, Canada
• Canadian Art, Image featured in 'Canadian Museum Plans Exhibition on Menstruation' article, Canada
• Photo Ed Magazine, full page on the digital edition of 'Studio Magic: Baby it's Cold Outside', Canada
• Wot Is Art? full page on '2018 February Edition' print, United Kingdom
• A5 Magazine, full page on '2018 February Edition' print, United Kingdom
• Development of Dystopic Scenarios, 10 artworks in academic design guide, Mexico
2021
2020
2019
2019
2018-2019
2018
2018
2017
Publication Projects
Work Experience
2020
• MAFAZINE, London, United Kingdom
• Poster designer for Shades of Light in Bloomsbury Festival, London, United Kingdom
• Poster designer for Port Talk, The Crisis of Capitalism, Goodenough College, London, United
• Kingdom
• Poster designer for Port Talk, Memento Mori, Goodenough College, London, United Kingdom
• OCAD U Photographer, OCAD U, Toronto, Canada
• Private Art Lessons, (building students portfolio to apply to art high-school), Toronto, Canada
• Photographer, OCAD U CO Events x2, Toronto, Canada
• Volunteer Photographer, The Nook, Toronto, Canada
• Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• Art Camp, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Toronto, Canada
• Private Art Lessons for Children, Mississauga, Canada
2021
2018-2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014-2015