ALÁN SERNA
BIO
Alán Serna is a mixed media artist from Huanusco, Zacatecas now living and working in San Antonio, TX. In 2018, Serna earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2015 from the University of Texas at San Antonio where he is currently a professor of painting and drawing.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My practice centers around processes that facilitate sharing narratives, including traditional printmaking, mass-produced ephemera, and videography. I sample and re-compose photos from family archives, smartphone photographs, and screenshots to chronicle my family’s personal and political immigrant narratives. Through my practice, I touch on aspects of my upbringing, my relationship to labor, and simultaneous feelings of nostalgia and displacement.
EDUCATION
2015-2018 Master of Fine Arts: Intermedia
The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
2011-2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts: Printmaking
The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
EXHIBITION HISTORY
2022
“Art Everywhere" (Solo: Public Mural) Centro San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
"Drawn in San Antonio!" (Group) Curated by Rafael Gutierrez, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
"2ndo de Febrero" (Group) Curated by Garza, Centro Cultural Aztlan, San Antonio, TX
"Contemporary Art Month Perennial" Curated by Lauren Cross, Southwest School of Art, San Antonio, TX
"Tejanos" (Group) University of Dallas, Dallas, TX
"Desde Abjajo" (Solo) Gallery 23, San Antonio, TX
2021
“La Frontera: New LatinX Lexicon” (Juried by Erik Guzman and Roula Seikaly), Humble Arts Foundation, New York, NY
“UTSA Faculty Exhibition” , University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio,TX
"Text and Visual Language" (Juried by Tate Foley) St Louis Art Guild, St Louis, MO
"Dream Week: Artistic Dreams" (Group) online exhibition, dream week.org
"Home, Far and Near" (Group) Gallery North, Setauket, NY
"Ambos Lados"(Group) Casa Ortiz, El Paso, TX
"Se Ha Dicho" (Group) Curated by Michael Anthony Garcia, Austin Central Library, Austin, TX
"Red Dot Artist Exhibition" (Group) Blue Star Contemporary, San Antonio, TX
2020
"Shop Texas" (Group), Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX
“Chalk it up” (Juried by Katie Pace Holleran and Cristina Peña Walls), Art Pace, San Antonio TX
“Out of Choice, Out of Necessity” (Juried by Roberto Torres Mata), Mid-America Print Conference, Kent State University, Kent, OH
“Connect Collect” (Juried), Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK
“30 Anniversary Red dot Artist Exhibition” (Juried by Jacqueline McGilvray), Bluestar Contemporary, San Antonio, TX
“Small Scale Works for a Big Change” (Juried), Say Si, San Antonio TX
“Print Expo” (Juried by Carlos Hernandez), Print Austin, Austin TX
“XicanX: New Visions” (Group), Centro De Artes, San Antonio, TX
2019
“Unseen Prints” (Group) Mexic-Arte Museum, Austin, TX
“Norteado” (Solo) Palo Alto College, San Antonio, TX
“Casa De Cambio” (Solo) Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX
“Pride Pachanga” (Group) South Texas Museum of Pop Culture, San Antonio, TX
"Ambos Lados" (Group) SGC International, Dallas, TX
Argos Studio/Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Instituto de Artes Graficas de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, MX
“Tejanos: The Border Crossed Us” (Group)(Travelling) Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
Cedar Valley College, Lancaster, TX
Ben Bailey Gallery Texas A&M Kingsville, Kingsville, TX
Catapult Creative House, Cape Girardeau, MO
“Flat File Invitational: The Learned Hand” (Group) St. Edwards University, Austin, TX
“Southwest Print Fiesta 2019” (Group) Light Art Space Gallery, Silver City, NM
“XIX Biennial Faculty Exhibition” (Group) University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
2018
"Remedios Sagrados"(Group) Hemisfair Park, San Antonio, TX
“Comida es Medicina” (Group) Galeria de la Raza, San Francisco, CA
“Fourth Annual Lexington Guild of Printmakers Member Exhibition” (Group) the Parachute Factory, Lexington, KY
“De Aqui y De Alla” (Solo) Bolivar Art Gallery, Lexington, KY
“Images of Power” (Group) “South Town Art Gallery, San Antonio, TX
"Grind: Contemporary Lithography Invitational Print Exchange" (Group) Freight Gallery, San Antonio, TX
2017
"We Are Here" The PIT Gallery (Group) Lexington, KY
"Against the Grain: Contemporary Invitational Lithography Print Exchange" (Group) The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
"Grind: Contemporary Lithography Invitational Print Exchange" (Group) Freight Gallery, San Antonio, TX
"PRHBTN 2017" (Juried) Loudoun House, Lexington, KY
"Plus Ultra" (Group) Curris Gallery, Murray State University, Murray, KY
"Crossing Borders" (Group) Clamp Light Artist Studios and Gallery, San Antonio, TX
"Lexington Guild of Printmakers: Third Annual Members Exhibition" (Group) The Parachute Factory, Lexington, KY
"Hybrid" (Two Person Show) The Lyric Theatre, Lexington, KY
“New Impressions Printmaking Competition” (Jurors: Bill Fick, Carlos Hernandez, Susan Rostow) Southern Graphics Conference, Atlanta, GA
"Northeast Regional Collegiate Print Exhibit" (Juror Eileen Foti) Printmaking Center of New Jersey, Branchburg, NJ
"Three Decades Plus: Printmaking at UTSA" (Jurors Kent Rush, Gregory Elliot, Meredith Dean, Scott Sherer) UTSA Art Gallery, San Antonio, TX
2016
"PRHBTN 2016" (Group) Loudoun House, Lexington, KY
"Lexington Guild of Printmakers: Second Annual Members Exhibition" (Group) Kentucky for Kentucky, Lexington, KY
"Young Artists Exhibition" (Juried) Peace Gallery, Lexington, KY
2015
"P2 Surplus" (Group) The Downtown Arts Center, Lexington, KY
"Texas Artist Connection" (Group) Carver Institute, San Antonio, TX
"First Annual: Members' Exhibition" with Lexington Guild of Printmakers (Group) Breadbox Studio, Lexington, KY
"BFA Exhibition" (Group) The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
"Global Latino Education Convention" (Group) University Center Ballroom, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
"31st Student Exhibition" (Juried) UTSA Gallery Main Campus, San Antonio, TX
"Small Scale Work for a Larger Cause" (Group) Say Si, San Antonio, TX
"The Printmaking Power Couple" (Two Person Show) Melinda Martinez Studio, San Antonio, TX
2014
“Hecho a Mano” (Group) Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio, TX
“Print it Up 2014” (Group) R Gallery, San Antonio, TX
“El Corrido del Gigante Dormido” (Group) Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
“Steamrolled Prints” (Group) 3rd Space Art Gallery, San Antonio, TX
“Texas Artists Exhibition” (Juried) Beeville Art Museum, Beeville, TX
“San Antonio Collegiate Student Exhibition” (Group) San Antonio Art League & Museum, San Antonio, TX