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Photo credit: Ariadna Cuadriello
Brenda Lee Hernández Díaz
A photographer born and raised in Puerto Rico, and based in the United States for over 15 years. She began capturing moments, people, and places during her time in Puerto Rico. Her interest in photography deepened during her first visit to Europe and South America more than 20 years ago. Brenda was fascinated by the idea of documenting everyday life outside of what she was used to in her home country.
Over the years, she found herself gravitating even more toward street, portrait and documentary photography while traveling internationally and living in multiple cities in the United States.
An emphasis on the human, cultural and spiritual was amplified around 2018, a period characterized by a personal, existential search that drew her to India, Mexico, France and Quebec.
Artistic Statement
Artistic Statement
I AM DRIVEN BY HUMAN, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SUBJECTS
Photography allows me to re-focus my attention and feel more connected with my surroundings. The decision to carry the camera activates the switch of being in the present moment. Painful thoughts and feelings quiet down, at least for a while. There is a sense of urgency to capture what in seconds will belong to the past.
THE PROCESS OF CURATING AND PRINTING HAS BEEN TRANSFORMATIONAL
Many emotions sleep in the subconscious and begin to wake up during the curatorial and printing process. My first curatorial experience happened with the guidance of professional photographers I met in Mexico. I discovered that the images told very personal stories as soon as they began grouping into common themes.
I started handling the printing process in 2021. Seeing the images on paper became very transformative, both physically and emotionally. It revealed to me the connection between my internal world as a person and what I had chosen to photograph. Printing also opened up a world of possibilities and new questions; with a first print order from a friend, I realized that a printed image is appreciated differently. I questioned the purpose of continuing to accumulate thousands of photos in digital form only.
IT IS ABOUT A LIFE CYCLE
In printing, the photograph becomes a handcrafted piece because it is born into something tangible and more permanent. The image itself transforms according to the cropping, composition, selection of paper, and framing choices. Once that image is framed, I see it in its "altar" and it represents the next stage in a life cycle.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions
2025 Speak, Rise & Celebrate. Gallery 1701, Chicago Center for the Arts and Technology (CHICAT), Chicago, IL (curated by Yidi Wang).
2025 Puerto Rican Women in Arts. Liga de Arte de San Juan, San Juan, PR (curated by Alexis Figueroa, Trailer Park Proyects).
2025 Collective Narratives: Art, Influences & Inspirations from Around the City. Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL (curated by Takako Konishi, Bridgeport Artist Community).
2025 Puerto Rican Women in Arts. El Schomburg | Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, Chicago, IL (curated by Alexis Figueroa, Trailer Park Proyects).
2024 A White Noise: Reordering Chaos. El Schomburg | Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, Chicago, IL (curated by Brenda Torres-Figueroa).
Solo Exhibition
2024 Showcase Artist of the Month. Bottles Up, Chicago, IL.
Education
Education
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2025- present Taller de Títulos. PÁGINA en BLANDO. Ciudad de México, MX.
2025- present Tesis sobre la Fotografía y la Historia, Políptico Político. PÁGINA en BLANDO. Ciudad de México, MX.
2025 Conceptual Emocional. PÁGINA en BLANDO. Ciudad de México, MX.
2020 Curaduría Digital. Casa Garita Centro Cultural y Estudio Visual. Oaxaca, México, MX.
2019 The Art of Street Photography. Magnum Learn. USA.
2011 Photography Fundamentals, Chicago Photography Classes. Chicago, IL.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Honorable Mention, RedEye Chicago Winter Photography Contest. 2010.
EDUCATION
Master's Business Administration: Operations Management and Marketing
Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL
Bachelor's Public Communications: Public Relations and Advertising
University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
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