Bryan Fernandez in his estudio
Within the art scene in New York City, one is exposed to many creative proposals from some of the best artists in the world. One of the artists who caught our attention from the first time we saw his work was Bryan Fernandez. Bryan is an American-Dominican artist from the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan, the epicenter of Dominican culture in the United States.
We had the opportunity to visit him in his studio in Washington Heights and learn more about him and his work, which is gaining more and more reach in the young career of this 23-year-old artist, whose family hails from Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic.
Bryan Fernandez in Washington Heights.
The Pandemic Made Him Connect More with His Neighborhood
Bryan describes his work as mixed media, where he combines painting with prints and objects that give his works the characteristics of sculptures. He developed this style during the pandemic, partly out of necessity. “I was in the middle of my time in university and didn't have money to buy art materials, which led me to use objects I had at home, on the street, or from the hardware store next door.” The pandemic also led him to pay more attention to his surroundings. “It was the first time I spent all day in Washington Heights, which made me appreciate my community and the beauty that comes from my people.”
El Santo Domingo Lo Se(2023). Photo by Adam Reich y Noel Woolford.
Everything Starts with Documenting His Community Through Photography
In the creation of his works, everything starts with grabbing his camera and going out into the street. “I take photos of moments that catch my attention and inspire me, ranging from things that Dominicans traditionally do, like cooking sancocho on the sidewalk or playing dominoes.” From there, he edits the photo digitally and then recreates it on a canvas where Bryan adds all these additional elements that “give a greater sense of belonging to those who see it.”
Exhibiting Outside of New York
He has extended this documentation to the Dominican Republic itself, where he has also exhibited his work. In this same country, works were born that later ended up in exhibitions, such as his first solo exhibition, which took place in Los Angeles, California. “I went into the Gualey neighborhood, which they told me was very dangerous, to see what life was like outside the tourist area. I wanted to capture the reality of these neighborhoods in an authentic and representative way.” That first exhibition in California was also his first exhibition with work entirely based in the Dominican Republic, specifically from Santiago, where his family originates.
Photo provided by artist
Inclusion and Representation of Minorities in the Art Industry
One of Bryan's biggest motivators is fostering inclusion in art spaces. This is seen in his works, which showcase these excluded communities, but also when he holds events in places where his community is not used to going. An example of this was his exhibition at The Shed located in Manhattan. “Many Dominicans in Washington Heights didn’t know about The Shed, nor that exhibitions were held there. When they came, they were surprised, and it made me think about the fact that this is something my people deserve and made me proud to be there.”
Yamptons Sobrino? que vaina! Sientate conmigo por favor Let me tell you why them art folks doing you no good(2023). Photo by Adam Reich y Noel Woolford.
A Busy Year and a Full Schedule
Bryan has been creating this type of art for four years and has felt the growing interest and audience. He is currently part of the AIM (Artist in the Marketplace) program at the Bronx Museum. He recently announced that he will be doing a residency at the Mass MoCA museum in Massachusetts this summer. After this, he will be doing a fall residency in Brooklyn, from which work will come for his first solo exhibition to be presented in New York. The works he expects to exhibit in New York will be part of a series called “En Transito,” where he addresses “the types of relationships formed in public transportation spaces both here and in the Dominican Republic.”
Current sources of inspiration.
We will keep an eye on the work of this artist, who we are sure will continue to make waves. We will be visiting other studios with artists we follow soon to talk about art and what inspires us.