BORN
1956 Playa de Ponce, Puerto Rico
EDUCATION
M.F.A., University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wisconsin, 1986
B.F.A. in Fine Arts, Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1978
Diploma, Miguel Pou Visual Arts School, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1974
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012 Transnational Journey, La Fonda Boricua Gallery, New York, New York
2011 "Breathing History", Pregones Theater Gallery, Bronx, New York
2009 "Arteologist: Archeology of Memory-Diógenes Ballester", América Gallery, Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
2008 "Free Registry: Encounter, Mythology and Reality", Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, Santurce, Puerto Rico
"Free Registry: Encounter, Mythology and Reality", MediaNoche Gallery, New York, New York
2006 "Path of Memory", Museum Archive of Caribbean University, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
COMPLETE LIST OF SOLO EXHIBITIONS
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012 "VII Edition, Premio Leonardo Sciascia: Amateur d'estampes, 2012 - 2013", Fondazione Whitaker, Palermo , Italy
"VII Edition, Premio Leonardo Sciascia: Amateur d'estampes, 2012 - 2013", Museo della Carta e della Filigrana, Fabriano, Italy
"VII Edition, Premio Leonardo Sciascia: Amateur d'estampes, 2012 - 2013", Fondazione Il Bisonte, Firenze, Italy
"The Hive / El Panal, Trienal Poligráfica de San Juan", Museo Casa Blanca, Old San Juan Puerto Rico
"Afrolatinos", Museo de Caguas, Caguas, Puerto Rico
COMPLETE LIST OF GROUP EXHIBITIONS
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
2012 - 2013 VII Edition, Premio Leonardo Sciascia: Amateur d'estampes, 2012, Fondazione Leandro Sciacia, Milano, Italy
2011 Exhibition of Printmaking by Artists in Residence in Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, Shenzhen, National Art Museum of China
2010 Exhibition of Printmaking by Artists in Residence in Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, National Art Museum of Hong Kong, National Art Museum of Macao, National Art Museum of Inner Mongolia and National Art Museum of Tokyo.
2008 “Black Madonna”, The National Catholic Museum of Art and History, New York, New York The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, Rosa Parks Museum, Montgomery, Alabama
2004 "The International Print Triennial Krakow 2003 Hosted by the City of Oldenburg", Horst-Janssen- Museum, Stat museum Oldenburg, Kulturspeicher Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
COMPLETE LIST OF TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
SELECTED AWARDS, GRANTS AND HONORS
Artists-in-Residency of the City of Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Guest of Honor, 2nd Guanlan International Print Biennial, International Print Village, Guanlan, China
Artist-in Residence, Guanlan Print Base Industry
Award, Best Exhibition of the Year in Contemporary Media, The International Association of Critics of Art (AICA), San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2007
Artist-in-Residence Grant, The Museum Archive Caribbean University in Puerto Rico, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, 2007
COMPLETE LIST OF AWARDS, GRANTS & HONORS
PANELS
Latino Conference: "Graphic Language in the Development of Individual and Collective Latino Identity", Latino Graphic Congress, Austin, Texas, 2009
Panelist Visual Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, 2003
International Conference, "Migration and Diaspora in Caribbean Art," 2001 Symposium, AICA Southern Caribbean Chapter, 2001
President and Jury, XII San Juan Biennial of Latin America and Caribbean Printmaking, 1998
Panelist, Visual Arts, Manhattan Community Arts Fund, 1996
Panelist, Special Arts Services, New York State Council on the Arts, 1992 – 1995
Panelist, Visual Artist Program/ Special Arts Services, New York State Council on the Arts, 1992
COLLECTIONS (Corporate & Public)
Guanlan Print Base Industry, International Print Village, Guanlan, China
Cultural for Cultural Affairs, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
National Museum of Krakow, Krakow, Poland
Library of Congress, Washinton D.C., USA
Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
COMMISSIONS
2012 Para de Los Leones, Autonomous Municpality of Ponce and Yellow Media, Inc. , Ponce, Puerto Rico
2010 Public Art, Harlem River Park Plaque Project, New York, New York
1992 Paintings, Latino Institute, Chicago, Illinois. Sponsored by Latino Institute Corporate Board of Trustees
1995 Mural Project, New York Transit Authority, Columbus Circle Subway Station, New York, New York
1983 Exclusive Print Edition, Financiero Bank of Puerto Rico, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Sponsored by Financiero Bank of Puerto Rico Board of Trustees
SELECTED LECTURES AND INTERVIEWS
Interview, Oral History Interview with Diogenes Ballester, - Artist - Latino Visual and Performing Artists, Art Historians, and Arts Leaders - Interviewed by Tracy Grimm, Yolandi Lizardi Morino, Marisel Moreno-Anderson on January 14, 2009
Lecture, The Printed Memory, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Interview, Latin Eye, Channel 4, San Francisco, California, 2002
Lecture, Taller Boricua: Aesthetic Trajectory and Development of the Concept of Collectivity in its 30th Years of Experience, Center for the Advanced Puerto Rican Studies and the Caribbean, XIII San Juan Biennial of Latin American and Caribbean Printmaking, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2001
Lecture, "Migration and Diaspora in Caribbean Art," 2001 Symposium, AICA Southern Caribbean Chapter, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 2001
COMPLETE LIST OF LECTURES AND INTERVIEWS
WEB SITES
Diogenes-Ballester.Com
Puerto Rico and the American Dream, La Galleria, 1999
WEBCASTS
“Oral History and Diógenes Ballester: Simultaneous Exhibition” a conversation between Puerto Rico and New York“, transmitted by Caribbean University, Campus of Bayamón and Ponce, Puerto Rico, Center for the Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College, and PRDREAM.COM, New York City, 2006
VIDEOS
Reaffirming Spirituality, 30 minutes, Museo del Barrio, 1995
La Lucha, 14 Minutes, Marshall Weber and Diogenes Ballester, August 1986
PUBLICATIONS
D. Ballester. “Transmigration, Appropriation, Collaboration in New Media Projects from Polish Born Artists” Transmigration: Cracow and New York, Exhibition in Salute to Triennal Poli/Grafica de San Juan: America Latina y El Caribe at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, New York, New York, p. 5,6
D. Ballester. " Engranaje Global: Journey's in Multipolarity", "Intersecting Circles: Drawings and Prints - Metaphors of Caribbean and Latin American Transnationalism," catalog, International Print Triennial of Krakow 2003, Dominik Rostworoski Gallery, Krakow, Poland; and Espace Alexandre Dumas, Paris, France, p. 5,6
D. Ballester. "Aesthetic Development of Puerto Rican Visual Arts in New York as Part of the Diaspora: The Epitaph of El Barrio, Excerpts from the original text presented at the Conference of International Arts Critics Association (AICA) Southern 2001 Symposium, AICA Southern Caribbean, Central University of Florida, Orlando, Florida , 8/31/01
Exhibition Catalog, "Homage Alma Boricua XXX Anniversary: A Collaborative Digital Print Portfolio Between Visual Artists and Poets Presented at the XIII San Juan Biennial of Latin American and Caribbean Printmaking, Museum of the Americas, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2001, p. 28, 29
D. Ballester. "Aesthetic Development of Puerto Rican Visual Arts in New York as Part of the Diaspora: The Epitaph of El Barrio, Migration and Diaspora in Caribbean Art, 2001 Symposium, AICA Southern Caribbean, Central University of Florida, Orlando, Florida
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Artist-in-Residence Grant, The Museum Archive Caribbean University in Puerto Rico, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, 2007
Artist-in-Residence, Museum of the History of Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 2006
Curator, Transmigration: Cracow and New York, Taller Boricua Gallery, Juulia de Burgos Cultural Center, New York, New York
Artist-Teacher, Painting, Vermont College of Norwich University, Montpelier, Vermont, February – July, 2004
Curator, Journey Through Healing: An Exhibition of Artwork by Children with a History of Child Maltreatment, Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection, New York, New York, 2004
COMPLETE LIST OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE