Curriculum Vitae

My professional background in Graphic Design, Art History, and Latin American studies offers me a broad perspective as an artist. The social themes of my works are shaded by many traces of symbolism, which take a descriptive, rather than critical viewpoint. Often, my work deals with my personal issue of living in the United States for more than 10 years; this aspect of my life had made rethink and question my own perception of myself. I see myself as a bicultural individual living in a Southern U.S. society that tends to define me according to the U.S. Census: Hispanic.

Education

• M.A. Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Miami, Florida, 2002
• B.A. Graphic Design, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia 1990

Upcoming Shows

• (Title undecided) Solo Show, Goodhall Gallery, Main Gallery, Columbia College, Sept. 15 – Oct 15, 2012, Columbia, SC

Solo Shows

• "Procesos" writing to painting, The Hallway Gallery at 701. Columbia, SC: Sept 28 - Oct 31, 2011 • "Migration Letters in Spanglish" Greenwood  Arts Center, Federal Building, Greenwood, SC., August 13 – 30, 2010
• “Bestiarum Vocabulum”, Friday Cottage Art Space, Columbia, SC, May 6, to June 3, 2010
• "An Alien at the Opera", Bishopville Opera House, Jan. 10th - Feb. 1st. 2010, Bishopville, SC
• "Migration Letters in Spanglish" 701 Whaley St. Building, Sept. 29th to October 11th, 2009, Columbia, SC
• "Black Elk's Visions and American Legends" Sept.4th - Nov 29th, 2009, Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, University City, Charlotte, NC.
• "Ghosts and Devils", Hunter Gather, July 2, 2009 to Sept 2009, Columbia, SC.
• "Myths and Migration" Columbia Open Studios 2008, Friday Cottage, May, 2008, Columbia, SC.
• "Latinos in the South" University Café, March – June, 2005, Columbia, SC.
• "Latino Gothic" Hendrix Student Center, Clemson University, Sept. 17 – Oct. 30, 2004, Clemson, SC.

Two-Person Show

• "Beyond Words, Más allá de las palabras", Valerie Aranda and Alejandro Garcia-Lemos, Wooten-Garner House Artfix Gallery, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA Oct.19 -Dec.3, 2009

Juried and Selected Group Shows

• "A Sense of Place 2009", Juried by Philp Brookman, (Director of curatorial affairs, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC) Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA, Sept. 18 – Oct. 16, 2009
• ¨Black Elk Speaks", group show and performance, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia SC, Aug. 21, 2009
• "Color the ARTS", First Citizens Bank Annual Art Gala, Columbia, SC, April 24-25, 2009
• "What’s Love Got to do with it? Chapter 3" 701 Whaley Building, Columbia, SC, February 14 - 20, 2009
• "Colectiva de Artistas" Sala del Primer Congreso, Villa de Leyva, Boyacá, Colombia, South America, December, 2007 – January, 2008
• "Young Artist of the Year" Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, November, 2007
• "En Las Cartas" Mattie Rhodes Gallery, Kansas City, MO, September, 2007
• "Escuincles" SC Hispanic Leadership Council, Columbia, SC, September, 2007 / The Citadel, Daniel Library, Charleston, SC January - February, 2008
• "Presencias: Artistas Latinos in South Carolina", Clemson University, Clemson, SC., September, 2007
• "TransFormArte", Carver Community Cultural Center, San Antonio, TX, October 2006
• "From the Other Side, South American Contemporary Artists", Clemson University, Clemson, SC October, 2006
• "A Fool for Art", McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, February - April, 2006
• "AgilARTE" AgilStaff’s offices, March, Columbia, SC 2006
• "Open Eyes", 80808 Gallery in Vista, Columbia, SC, September - October, 2005
• "Back to School" Bus Stop Gallery, Columbia, SC 2004
• "Annual Student Show" Florida International University, Miami, Florida, 2001

Group Exhibitions and Benefit Events

• "Saint Sebastian: from martyr to gay starlet" (collaboration with Leslie Pierce, Ed Madden, Santiago Echeverry, Betsy Newman, et al.) Friday Cottage ArtsSpace, Columbia, SC. Sept. 1 – Sept. 8, 2011 • “BREAK!! Artistas Latinos in South Carolina", Community Gallery, Columbia Museum of Art, Sept. 14 – Oct. 31, 2010, Columbia, SC.
• "Art goes Global" Arts Center, Greenwood, SC, March 2010, Greenwood, SC
• "What's LOVE Fest 2010", 2010, 701 Whaley, Columbia, SC
• "An Argentine Affair" (to benefit SC Progressive Network) Big Apple, Columbia, SC, 2009
• "InspirARTE 2004", SC State Museum, Columbia, SC, 2004
• "Dining with Friends" Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbia, SC 2004
• "InspirARTE 2003", SC State Museum, Columbia, SC, 2003
• "Art-a-Must", SC State Museum, Columbia, SC, 2003
• "Garage Sale" Art Garage, Columbia, SC, 2002
• "Art-a-Must", SC State Museum, Columbia, SC, 2002
• "Salon de Arte BP" British Petroleum, Bogotá, Colombia, 1995
• "Salón Cano" Museo de Arte, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia, 1990
• "Salón Cano" Museo de Arte, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia, 1989

Grants and Scholarships

• ROOTS Annual Meeting, scholarship from NALAC, Asheville, NC, August 2010
• Latino Creativity in the 21st Century, Beyond the Tipping Point, San José, CA, April 14 – 18, 2010
• LINC Artist Retreat, Greenville, SC May 2009
• Muralist in Training (MIT Program), San Anto Cultural Center, San Antonio, TX August 2008
• Advance Leadership Institute, National Association for the Latino Arts and Culture, NALAC, San Antonio, TX 2006
• Grant for Hispanic Artists from the Ford Foundation, September, 2006, San Antonio, TX, 2004
• Leadership Institute, National Association for the Latino Arts and Culture, NALAC, San Antonio, TX, 2004
• SC Arts Alliance and SC Arts Commission to attend the 2004 Leadership Institute, Columbia, SC 2004
• Latin American and Caribbean Center, LACC, Thesis Grant, Miami, FL, 2001
• Latin American and Caribbean Center, LACC, Masters Program Scholarship, Miami, FL, 1999-2001
• School of Arts’ Best Student 1986-1987, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, 1986 and 1987
• International Arts Student Training, Rietveld Academie of Art in Amsterdam, Aruba, Holland, 1988

Reviews and Articles

• "Sebastian takes Center Stage" by Otis Taylor, The State Newspaper, Weekend, August 26, 2011, Columbia, SC
• "Saint Sebastian brings Art, Film and Poetry to SC Pride" by Craig Brandhorst, Free Times, arts & culture (feature), Aug. 31 – Sept 6, 2011, Midlands Region, SC
• "Los colores del inmigrante", Maureen Moreira, La Nación Hispana, Oct. 2010 Greenville, SC
•  "Artist Spotlight", Alejandro García-Lemos, Thump, Aug 16-23, 2010, Greenwood, SC
• "What's Love?" by Otis Taylor, The State Newspaper, South Carolina, February 12, 2010
• "Activists to receive Awards" The State Newspaper, Columbia, SC. November 11, 2009
• "Migration Letters Explores Complexities of Immigration" by Mary Gilkerson, FreeTimes, Oct. 7-13, 2009
• "Artistic downtown living – Alejandro Garcia-Lemos" Abode Magazine – Free-Times July 29 - August 6, 2009
• "20 Under 40: The art behind finding a second career", The State Newspaper, December, 2008
• "Art aficionados in South Carolina", The State Newspaper, February, 2007
• "His life translates into community service" 20 under 40, The State, Newspaper, January, 2007
• "The new South Carolinians" The Sandlapper, Columbia, SC. July, 2005
• "ArtWanted.com", 2004 – 2005
• "SC en el Mapa del Arte" La Voz, Columbia, SC 2004
• "Alejandro Garcia-Lemos" La Voz Latina, Columbia, SC, 2004
• "A Colombian in Columbia" The Columbia Star Newspaper, Columbia, SC. October, 2003
• "New Talent: Annual Student Show FIU 2001" Miami Herald, Miami, 2001

Memberships and other affiliations

• Member of the National Association for Latino Art and Culture
• Member of the Association for Latin American Art
• Founder and Executive Director, Palmetto & Luna in Columbia, SC
• Member of the Public Programs Advisory Committee, Columbia Museum of Art
• Co-founder and General Manager, Comunicar Spanish Language Services

Institutional Collections

• Women’s Studies Institute, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
• Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL
• National Association for Latino Arts and Culture, NALAC, San Antonio, TX

Awards

•  Passing the Torch Award by the Renaissance Foundation, October 16, 2010, Columbia, SC