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Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art  Feb-June 2008

Siona Benjamin

Siona Benjamin Siona Benjamin
Email: artsiona@earthlink.net
Website: www.artsiona.com
Website: www.cherylpelavin.com
  

Siona Benjamin received a 2004 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

The New Jersey Print and Paper Fellowship from Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper, Rutgers University, New Jersey – 2004.

The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture Grant, New York, 2000-2001.

Siona Benjamin is a painter originally from Bombay, now living in the US. Her work reflects her background of being brought up Jewish in a predominantly Hindu and Muslim India. In her paintings she combines the imagery of her past with the role she plays in America today, making a mosaic inspired by both Indian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons.

Siona has an MFA in painting from Southern Illinois University and a second MFA in Theater set design from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with undergraduate degrees from J. J. School of Art in Bombay.

Visiting Assistant Professor at Trinity College in Hartford, CT-2003; adjunct instructor at the Southern Illinois University School of Art & Design-1996-2002; Taught a multicultural diversity course for the honors program (at SIU-C) titled "Contemporary Asian Artists in the Diaspora"; Conducted arts-in-education artist residencies in schools, universities and communities through the Illinois Arts Council since 1996.
  

SELECTED RECENT EXHIBITIONS:
  • "Being Good: Women's Moral Values in the New Millennium" Alva Gallery, New London CT 2006;
  • "Sweet Basil" Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Miami FL 2005;
  • “New Jersey: A Sense of Place” NJ Arts Annual at Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ 2005;
  • “Fereshteh” at The New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain CT 2005;
  • Women of the Book: Jewish Artists Jewish Themes" group show at Rutgers University, Camden NJ, 2005;
  • Fatal Love: South Asian American Art Now at The Queens Museum NY, 2005;
  • Annual RCIPP Artist Fellowship Print Exhibition at Mason Gross School of Fine Art, Rutgers University, 2005;
  • “Fereshteh” Solo Exhibition at Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art, NYC 2004,
  • “Celestial Boundries” at Montclair State University Art Galleries, Montclair, NJ, 2004;
  • “Passport to Contemporary Indian Art” Curated by Sundaram Tagore and sponsored by The Indo-American Arts Council in New York, 2004;
  • “Food, Clothing and Shelter” at The Interfaith Center of New York, 2004;
  • Solo exhibition (cosponsored by The Mizel Museum of Judaica, Asian Art Co-ordinating council and The Museum of Outdoor Art in Denver CO - 2004);
  • Rutgers University Zimmerli Art Museum NJ. group show Transcultural New Jersey – 2004;
  • "Masala: Diversity and Democracy in South Asian Art" at The William Benton Museum of Art, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 2004;
  • “Hearing Voices: Personal Narratives” Gallery at Bristol Myers Sqibb, Princeton, NJ – 2004;
  • Group exhibition of South Asian Women's Creative Collective (SAWCC) at Bose Pacia Modern in Chelsea New York, opens July 31st 2003;
  • "Asian Art Now-2003" at The Las Vegas Art Museum 2003 (sponsored by The Asian Cultural Exchange Association, Tokyo Japan);
  • "Hybrids" Group Exhibition at Wave Hill Bronx, NY 2003;
  • Art Chicago 2003 at Navy Pier; If the shoe fits: Asian issues of femininity in contemporary art" at Bard College, New York 2003;
  • "Spicy Girl" at Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT 2003;
  • "Finding Home" at Trinity College, Hartford, CT 2003;
  • "Finding Home" at University of Southern California (Hillel), Los Angeles, CA 2002;
  • "If the shoe fits: Asian issues of femininity in contemporary art" at Lehman Gallery (CUNY) New York 2002;
  • Encountering the Second Commandment" at the American Jewish Museum, Pittsburgh PA, 2001-2002;
  • "Siona Benjamin: Multicultural Identities" at Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus OH, 2002;
  • "Why Asia" A Public Art Project by Godzilla, Art in General on Canal, New York 2001;
  • "In Search Of " at Walsh Gallery, Chicago IL, 2001.

Her work was recently featured in The New York Times, The Jewish Week in New York and New Jersey, "Art Beat" Channel 11 PBS TV in Chicago, NJN TV “the New American Art”, Art and Antiques, The Boston Globe, Art in America, Art New England, St Louis Post Dispatch, India Abroad, The Little Magazine, Asian Art News and Moment magazine.

 
   

  
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