EN FOCO ANNOUNCES 2024 PHOTOGRAPHY FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES

(Bronx, New York – January 17, 2024) – En Foco, the Bronx-based non-profit that supports contemporary primarily U.S.-based photographers of color, has announced the recipients of its 2024 Photography Fellowship. The 10 awardees were chosen by a panel of photography peers and industry professionals, including Tyrone Copeland (2017 Fellowship Awardee), Isabella Hutchinson (Hutchinson Modern & Contemporary Gallery, Founder) and Ana Vallejo (2023 Fellowship Awardee) from a pool of nearly 100 applicants.

In addition to a fellowship grant of $1,500, each Fellow will be provided with professional development and networking opportunities. Their work will also be featured in a June/July 2024 group exhibition at the WallWorks gallery in the Bronx. Printed and online editions of Nueva Luz, En Foco’s signature photographic journal, also planned for publication in June 2024.

“We are incredibly excited to announce and celebrate the artists selected this year. The fellowship has become a flagship program for En Foco, and every year we look forward to welcoming the new cohort into the growing community of fellows. Congratulations, and welcome to the family!” -Oscar Rivera, Managing Director.

"I have had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable evolution of this program over the past 9 years. It brings me so much joy to contribute to the growth of such a talented community of artists annually,” said Kimberly Vaquedano-Rose, En Foco’s Assistant Director who oversees the fellowship program. “Our recent decision to elevate the award from $1,000 to $1,500 underscores our commitment to empowering artists, and we aspire to extend our support to even more creatives in the years ahead.”

The En Foco 2024 Photography Fellows are:

Cali M. Banks, a Munsee Lenape/Scottish lens-based artist in Syracuse, NY, holds an MFA from the University of Colorado Boulder. Serving as the Communications Coordinator for Light Work and Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University, Banks has exhibited work during Art Basel Miami and other notable venues, including an upcoming solo exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art.

Jordana Bermúdez Torres, a documentary photographer in NYC, focuses on identity, specifically as it relates to gender, youth, and immigration. A graduate of ICP's Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism program, she amplifies the voices of women and the queer community. Bermúdez Torres is a recipient of the Director’s Fellowship.

Avijit Halder, an Indian-born American visual artist in NYC, uses various mediums to express their past and present identity. Featured in "Born into Brothels" as a child, Halder holds an MFA in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Film & Television from NYU. Their work has been exhibited at Higher Pictures, MoMA ps1, and Baxter street. Halder is a recipient of the Creators Labs Photo Fund 2023.

Oji Haynes, a serious and sensitive artist in NYC, is a CCNY Dean's Prize recipient and was awarded the 2022 NADA Miracle Seltzer Grant. Participating in the New York Times Portfolio Review, Haynes' work has been featured in various publications, including Office Magazine and Boooooom.

Andrew Kung, a Brooklyn-based photographer, gained recognition for "Mississippi Delta Chinese" and "The All-American." Awarded by PhotoVogue, LensCulture, and Photolucida, Kung's ongoing project, "Dreaming on the Hudson," is the focus of his 2024 Light Work artist residency.

Shina Peng, an environmental portrait photographer in Brooklyn and Tokyo, explores the dichotomies of international identity. Born in Japan to Taiwanese American parents, Peng's work celebrates the mundanity of everyday life, questioning society's understanding of belonging.

Sharon Miller, an award-winning hip hop artist and visual artist in Queens, uses her diverse skills for social change. Founder of The Creative Youth Society, Miller's work has been featured in Photoville NY and Click Magazine, with a permanent installation in Queens.

Lieh Sugai, a Japanese-born New York artist, uses photography and video to explore memories shaped by time, events, and culture. Studying graphic design in New York, Sugai's work has been exhibited internationally and published in The Washington Post and Fisheye Magazine.

Jennifer Teresa Villanueva, a Mexican-American artist from Chicago, now in Brooklyn, NY, holds a BFA in Photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2020) and an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin (2023). Her vibrant work explores immigrant family experiences, labor, trauma, and the American Dream. Notable awards include the Aperture 2023 Creator Labs Photo Fund. Villanueva is a Whitney ISP Studio Program Fellow starting Fall 2023 at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Chen Xiangyun, a queer artist from China in Queens, NY, utilizes photography, moving image, and bookmaking to map emotional complexity. Chen has received the Robert Giard Grant, NYFA Immigrant Artist Program, and was a finalist for PhMuseum Women Photographers Grant and Critical Mass 2022. Their work has been shown globally.