María Gloria Andrade Short Biography Arte Laguna Prize 2018, 2019Born and raised in Ecuador, I studied Fine Arts at the Facultad de Artes, Universidad Central del Ecuador in Quito, Saint Martin’s School of Art in London and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.I am an explorer in mixed media and produce works in 2D and 3D. I pick up discarded materials that have exhausted their original purpose, draw them, break them up, deconstruct the ideas and feelings they generate, turn them around, put them all back together in a different way, play, search within light, colour and textures. The world gives us garbage, I give back art. I had the privilege of having been born and raised in Ecuador and equally of having lived in Spain for many years and in six other countries in North and South America and in Europe. My life experiences have been very varied. They have made me who I am and are reflected in my work. I am guided by a search for integrity as a person and as an artist, which means for me the consciousness of oneness, the fact that we are all integral parts of ONE planet: humans, animals and physical world, and that we depend on each other for survival and wellbeing. I take on each work of art as if embarking on an adventure. Each piece is different. Sometimes the task involves a long process, sometimes it is short and fast. The results are almost always unknown to me until the work is complete. There are always new challenges, but I always begin with passion and in companionship with the material: it is my ally in the trip of discovery. Sometimes I feel satisfied with the results and others not; but, there is always a new chapter. I am interested in stories that inspire and reach the heart. I aim to produce fun, playful and uplifting works that can foster new connections: “Joy as an Act Of Resistance” (just like the name of the British band).Making art is a way of unifying and translating fragments of memory, thoughts and feelings, and of expressing them in a way that brings me back to my centre, offering a richer, more interesting life. It is my answer and my way of taking action on those issues that trouble, move and interest me.I create art works because they create me. I share them because they also speak to others.MAIN ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES IN RECENT YEARS:PRIZES: • Work selected to participate in the 6th Beijing International Art Biennale. China 2015.• Paris Prize 1986. Alliance Française. Quito Ecuador.EXHIBITIONS AND WORK:In several South American, North American, Asian and European countries..2018: • CARTAS A PAPÁ NOEL. Centro Comarcal de Humanidades. La Cabrera, Madrid, Spain.• International MAIL ART EXHIBITION “100” . Inter-Art Contemporary Art Gallery, Aiud, Rumania.• Exposición del XI ENCUENTRO ARTISTAS PLÁSTICOS SIERRA NORTE. Centro Comarcal de Humanidades. La Cabrera, Madrid, Spain.• INTER-ART INTERNATIONAL ART CAMP CLOSING EXHIBITION. Aiud, Rumania• Invited to participate : INTER-ART. International Art Camp 2018. Aiud. Rumania.• Invited to participate: CUARTO ENCUENTRO DE MUJERES EN TORNO AL BARRO: “EMBARRADAS”. El Arreciado, Toledo, Spain.• Work shown at ARTBOX.PROJECT New York 1.0. Armory Artweeks. USA• Invited to be member of the: COLECTIVO DE ARTISTAS SIERRA NORTE, Madrid, Spain• 2017: • INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC WOOLLEN SYMPOSIUM. El Arreciado. Toledo, Spain.• Artistic Collaboration with EGGOMOTION, THE MIND IN MOTION. Madrid, Spain• 2015: Work shown at the 6th BEIJING INTERNATIONAL ART BIENNALE. China.• 2012, 2013: Travelling Group Exhibition: “CHAOS ET MERVEILLES”: Hommage a M. Poubelle, Centre Artistique Verderonne, France.• 2012: POUBELLE ART ET CHAOS: Espace Beaujon. Paris, France.• 2011: Group Show: BROSSA CAOS I ART: La Casa Elizalde. Barcelona, Spain• 2010: Project& Exhibition: ARTS I LLETRES DE LA MA: Centre Civic Pati Llimona. Barcelona, Spain.• 2009-2010: PREFLEXIBEL Industrial Art Project. Ninove, Belgium.• 2009. Participation in the project: MUSEUM IN A BOX: Contemporary Ecuadorian Art for Children: Ministry of Culture, Ecuador.• 2008: Group Show: 30 YEARS OF “ THE OTHER ART” IN ECUADOR. Centro Cultural Itchimbía: Quito, Ecuador.• 2008: Group Show: DEIXALLES L’estètica I l’art contemporani. Centre Civic Ateneu Fort Pienc. Barcelona, Spain.• 2005: Group Show: JOGO DE DADOS. Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana. Porto Alegre, Brasil.• 2004:Group Show: JOC DE DAUS. Centre Civic Ateneu Fort Pienc. Barcelona, Spain• 2003 to 2009: Project: ART APPLIED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SICK PEOPLE: Oncology and Psychiatry: Hospital Ramón y Cajal. Madrid, Spain.• 2001, 2002: Group Show: WOMEN IN THE CONTEMPORARY ECUADORIAN ART SCENE. Museo de América. Madrid, Spain. And travelling exhibition in the Community of Madrid.• 2000: GARDENS. Loft de Arte Actual. Barcelona, Spain.• 2000: Group Show: ECUADORIAN CONTEMPORARY ART. Casa de América, Madrid, Spain.• Throughout all these years: Private workshops: painting and drawing. Art Activities
