Lucia Morales is a Miami based artist and educator, from Lima, Perú. Her childhood home and cultural heritage have shaped and influenced her artistic practice. Maintaining a strong connection to her roots, she has danced and performed Peruvian folklore since childhood. Her artistic practice is concerned with how migration and immigration challenge notions of identity. Morales uses textiles, paintings, video and installation to create figurative works that speak to her current experience as well as the transformative moments of her past. As her work grows in scale and scope, Morales’ intention is to make community visible by including the stories and histories of others and by taking up and creating spaces to be shared with others.
Morales is an MFA candidate at Florida International University and holds a Master’s of Art Education and a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University. Lucia has been involved with dance as an assistant instructor and performer with Sumaj Tusuy Dance since 2003. She has been an Art Educator for many years with Broward and Miami-Dade public schools as well with local cultural institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami and The Wolfsonian-FIU.
Lucia Morales is a Miami based artist and educator, from Lima, Perú. Her childhood home and cultural heritage have shaped and influenced her artistic practice. Maintaining a strong connection to her roots, she has danced and performed Peruvian folklore since childhood. Her artistic practice is concerned with how migration and immigration challenge notions of identity. Morales uses textiles, paintings, video and installation to create figurative works that speak to her current experience as well as the transformative moments of her past. As her work grows in scale and scope, Morales’ intention is to make community visible by including the stories and histories of others and by taking up and creating spaces to be shared with others.
Morales is an MFA candidate at Florida International University and holds a Master’s of Art Education and a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University. Lucia has been involved with dance as an assistant instructor and performer with Sumaj Tusuy Dance since 2003. She has been an Art Educator for many years with Broward and Miami-Dade public schools as well with local cultural institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami and The Wolfsonian-FIU.
Education
2022-25 MFA (pending), Master of Fine Art, Florida International University, Miami, FL
2015 MAT, Master in Art Education, Florida International University, Miami, FL
2009 BLA, Bachelor in Landscape Architecture, Minor in Fine Arts, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Professional Teaching Experience
2024-2025 Florida International University, Instructor of Record for 2D Design (ART 1201C) and Beginning Figure Drawing (ART 2330C), Miami, FL
2022-24 Museum of Contemporary Art- North Miami, Visiting Educator (MOCA Makers), North Miami, FL
2022-23 The Wolfsonian- FIU, Education Specialist, STEAM program coordinator, Miami Beach, FL
2016-22 Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Visual Art/AP Studio Art Teacher, Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy, Hialeah, FL
2013-16 Broward County Public Schools, Visual Art Teacher, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle, Pembroke Pines, FL
Awards + Residencies
2024 Visual Art Scholarship, Coconut Grove Arts Festival Visual Arts Scholarship, Coconut Grove, FL
2023 Artist Residency, En-Residencia, The Koubek Center, Miami, FL
2023 Community Recognition, City of North Miami Beach, recognition for entrepreneurial and creative service in the community, North Miami Beach, FL
2023 Visual Art Scholarship, Women in the Visual Arts, All Florida MFA State Scholarship, Boynton Beach, FL
2022 Visual Art Scholarship, FIU Arts Council, Visual Arts Scholarship, Miami, FL
2020 Artist Residency, STAR Artist Residency, The Hermitage Artist Retreat, Manasota Key, FL
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Solo Exhibition– Kaypi, Chaypi, Wakpi, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2024 Performance In Flux: Video as Performance screening, Colour Senses Project, Miami, FL
2024 Papel Deux, FIU Green Library, Miami, FL
2024 Swamp Vision: IN-Migration video screening, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2023 We Are the Places We Left Behind, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2023 The MFA Show, The Bonnier Gallery, Miami, FL
2023 Responses, VH Gallery-FIU, Miami, FL
2022 Uprooted Memories: Echoes of Our Past, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami, FL
2022 Threads & Veins, Laundromat Art Space, FL
2022 The Colors of Miami, MIFA and The Mexican Consulate in Miami, Miami, FL
2021 Hispanic DNA, Osceola Arts, Kissimmee, FL
2021 Hispanic Heritage Exhibit, Florida State Capitol Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
2021 Equality in Sight, Collaborative Mural, Government Center, Miami FL
2021 Love is Love, History Miami Museum, Miami, FL
2021 Forces of Nature, Boca Raton Innovation Campus, Boca Raton, FL
2020 The Academy, Frank C. Ortis Gallery, Pembroke Pines, FL
2020 Fifth Annual Master’s in Art Education Alumni Exhibition, FIU Presidential House and Graham Center Art Gallery, Miami, FL
2019 Landscape Painting, FIU Graham Center Art Gallery, Miami, FL
2019 Fourth Annual Master’s in Art Education Alumni Exhibition, FIU Presidential House and Graham Center Art Gallery, Miami, FL
Professional Conferences
2024 Kaypi, Chaypi, Wakpi: Creating Space and Place, Kuyayky START labs, Andean Science-Technology-Art Conference, Jauja, Perú
2024 Sinpay: Braiding Commmunity, The Quechua Alliance (8th annual meeting), Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
2023 Folklore: Connecting Threads Between Home, Heritage, and Visibility, NSU Crossroads Student Humanities Conference, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Programming + Community Projects
2024 Program organizer, Kaypi, Chaypi, Wakpi Film Screening: Public screening of films in Indigenous Languages of Perú, curated and presented by Miami filmmaker Diana Larrea, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2024 Program organizer, Quechua and the importance of Connecting to Traditional Knowledge: Public talk and presentation by Shana Inofuentes and Monica Flores- founders of The Quechua Project, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2024 Program organizer, Andean Music and Dance Celebration: Presentation and performances by Andean music organization Kuyayky Foundation, Sumaj Tusuy Dance collective, and musician Peter Zegarra, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2024 Program co-organizer and curator, Swamp Vision: IN-Migration video screening, screening of selected video works by local artists, curated by Angela Chaine, L’nique Noel, and Lucia Morales, Miami Beach Visual Art Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
2003-Ongoing Current dancer and assistant instructor with Sumaj Tusuy Dance, Miami, FL
Commissions
2022 Painted sculpture for Sculpture Garden at Maurice A. Ferré Park, Miami, FL