Eu penso que a arte deveria ser uma parte essencial da atividade humana e que como tal deve estar profundamente enraizada no cotidiano. Eu nao concordo que a arte seja so exclusividade das institucoes como galerias e museus, e tao pouco penso que deva ser separada da vida. Eu gostaria que a arte seja acessivel a todas as pessoas pois acredito que ela e uma parte fundamental da experiencia humana assim como tambem uma atividade a partir da qual as pessoas podem encontrar sentido na suas propias vidas. E por essas razoes que um dos meus objetivos principais como artista e o desenvolvimento de projetos artisticos em colaboracao com pessoas que normalmente nao tem oportunidade de se expressar artisticamente. Realizo projetos com os sem-teto, com criancas, com jovens e com adultos. Junto com eles criamos pinturas, mosaicos e esculturas contribuindo dessa maneira ao dessenvolvimento de uma arte publica comunitaria. No meu trabalho mais pessoal, quando produzo obras destinadas a museus e galerias nas quais exploro a linguagem de uma poetica mais individual, sempre encontro o eco e a inspiracao dessa experiencia com as pessoas e com as comunidades das quais elas sao parte.

"IT WAS DISOLVED IN FEAR" Mixed Media Mirtes Zwierzynski 1999:



"NOTHINGNESS" Mixed Media Mirtes Zwierzynski 1999:



"NOTHING MORE" Mixed Media Mirtes Zwierzynski 1999:





Drawing on the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead altars, Cynthia Weiss, Mirtes Zwierzynski, and Nina Smoot Cain collaborated to create an "ofrenda" to honor the memory of the late beloved Chicago mayor Harold Washington. This altar was part of a series of events at the Duncan YMCA Chernin Center for the Arts to remember Chicago's first African American mayor, recalling his humor, his courage, and his commitment to equity and social justice.

An Altar for Harold (Washington) copyright 1997



"Watermarks" copyright 1998 Olivia Gude, Keila Songhay-Smith, Cynthia Weiss, Mirtes Zwierzynski

mosiac benches in Gateway Park, Chicago



detail of "Watermarks":



Mirtes M. Zwierzynski
5006 S, Dorchester Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615-2921
tel: (773) 624-5521/ fax: (773) 624-0067
e-mail: ZWIERZYNSK@aol.com.
____________________________________________________________

PROFILE

Professional artist and educator with over twenty years of experience creating and implementing public art programs focused on urban and educational development. Extensive exposure developing community based participatory research art projects and in organizing workshops and training activities for teachers and cultural activists. Accomplished facilitator, team leader, and team player.

SELECTED PUBLIC ART PROJECTS IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT

1987- 1999 Lead Artist with Chicago Public Art Group.
Created and implemented art projects, murals,
mosaics, and sculptures all over the city of Chicago.
Some of the highlight are: Gateway Park at Navy Pier,
the Sunnyside Plaza and the park at Senn High School.
List of works available upon request.

1996 Was commissioned mosaic mural for the South
Chicago Branch Library by the Public Art
Program of the City of Chicago.

1995 Chicago Children's Museum. Was commissioned
mosaic murals for building and an artist bench
to be displayed in the facility.

1992 Societe Travail et Propriete. Cergy Pontoise,
France. Designed and executed mural in a public
housing project for North African immigrants.

SELECTED PUBLIC ART PROJECTS IN EDUCATION

1997-1999 Illinois Arts Council. Artists Roster. Mosaic
murals with Wells, Healy, Marquette
Clinton Rosette and Bogan Schools.

1993-1999 Special projects artist with Urban Gateways,
Chicago, IL. Taught residences in the Chicago
Public Schools, creating murals, art books, and
paintings. List of projects available upon request.

1995-1999 Was commissioned mosaic murals by Romona
School, Winettka, IL, and Interamerican Magnet
School, and Greeley School. Chicago, IL.

SELECTED TEACHING AND TRAINING EXPERIENCES

1999 Chicago Park District in Partnership with CPAG
Trained Park District artists in mosaic work

1999 Ray Graham School. Gallery 37. Chicago, IL

1998- 1999 Museum of Contemporary Art. Chicago, IL.
Mosaic workshops for adult and youth learners.

1997-1998 Mary and Leigh Block Gallery. Smart and Terra Museums
with Greeley School.
Special project by Urban Gateways
and the National Endowment for the Arts.

1996 Ramapo College. Mohaw, N.J.

1994-1996 Columbia College. Chicago, IL.

1994 Art Smart. Cooperative project by the Cleveland
Institute of Art, the Committee for Public Art,
and NOVA. Cleveland, OH.

1982-1984 Northern Illinois University. De Kalb, IL.

SELECTED COMMUNITY BASED ART PROJECTS

1998 The Family Institute. Evanston, IL.

1998 Housing Opportunities for Women. Chicago, IL.

1997 Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Chicago, IL.

1996 South West Coalition. Chicago, IL.

1996 Women for Guatemala. Collaborative projects with 5 High Schools.

1993-1996 American Friends Service Committee. Chicago, IL.

1993-1997 "Su Casa". Catholic Workers Center for Central
American Refugees. Chicago, IL.

1984-1988 Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center. Chicago, IL.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1999 Aldo Castillo Gallery. Chicago, IL
" The Art of Memory"

1999 Crosman Gallery. University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. WI.
" Artistic Observers in Latin America "

1998 Beacon Street Gallery. Chicago, IL
"Beyond the Easel"

1997 Ukranian Institute for Modern Art. Chicago, IL.
"Matrix"

Columbia College, Chicago. Hokin Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"Installation".

1996 Chicago Cultural Center. Chicago, IL
"Art of Iberoamerica"

Triton College. Forest Park, IL.
"Mano a Mano"

Calles y Suenos. Chicago, IL.
"From the Body"

Prospectus Art Gallery. Chicago, IL

1995 Aldo Castillo Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"4 Views x 4 Roads"
1995 Chicago Gallery. University of Illinois. Chicago, IL.
"Art of Ibero-America"

1994 Zolla/Liberman Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"Critics Choice Artist"

1993 Mary and Leigh Block Gallery. Northwestern University. Evanston, IL.
"From the Border"

1992 Mexican Fine Arts Museum. Chicago, IL.
"Day of the Dead"

1990 Artemisia Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"Coast to Coast"

1989 W.U.K. Kunsthalle. Vienna, Austria.
"Transcultural Show"

1987 Mexican Fine Arts Museum. Chicago, IL.
"Latina Art: Showcase 87"

P.P.O.W. Gallery. New York, N.Y.
"Heresies"

1986 Art Center. Managua, Nicaragua.
"Drawings"

1980 Fenit. Textile Gallery. Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"Weavings"

1979 Maison des Science de l'Homme. Paris, France.
Prisons in Urban Life.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1999 Calles y Suenos Gallery. Chicago, IL
" Voyer / Voyant"

1997 Calles y Suenos Gallery. Chicago, IL
" From the Body"

1995 Dittmar Gallery. Northwestern University. Evanston, IL.
"From the Earth". Paintings and installation.

1988 NAB Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"Convergence: The Body Series". Drawings

1985 Beacon Street Gallery. Chicago, IL.
"Public Art/Private Visions". Drawings

1982-1983 Northern Illinois University. De Kalb, IL.
"Drawings"

AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS

1996-2000 Illinois Arts Council. Artist Roster.
Chicago, IL.

1998 Recipient of the Chicago Public Schools award
for work performed at Healy Elementary School.

1991 Chicago Bar Association. Chicago, IL.
Public Art Award
1990 Chicago Office of Fine Arts. Chicago, IL.
Visual Arts. Neighborhood Art Project

1988 Ragdale Foundation. Forest Park, IL.
Artist Residence

1987 Chicago Office of Fine Arts. Chicago, IL.
Visual Arts. Neighborhood Art Project

1986 Chicago Office of Fine Arts. Chicago, IL.
Community Assistance Program

1985 Chicago Office of Fine Arts. Chicago, IL.
Visual Arts. Neighborhood Art Project

1972-1977 Oekumenische Studentwerk. Bochum. Germany.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND CATALOGUES

Voyer/Voyant. Martin Billheimer. 1999
La Raza. Arena Cultural. "Pintura". Victoria Bianco. 1999
The Art of Memory. Bertha Husband. 1999
Chicago Tribune. "Group Portraits".Patrick T.Reardon. 1998
Zorros y Erizos. "Cuerpo y Alma". Bertha Husband, 1997.
"From the Body"..Marcelo Zwierzynski, 1996
Chicago Tribune. "Don't Just Sit There". August 4,1996.Achy Obejas.
Wilmette Life. "Romona Mural". April 20, 1995.
Bench Mark Project. Chicago Children's Museum. Catalogue, 1995.
The Reader. August 4, 1995. "Latin Americans". Bertha Husband.
Chicago Tribune. January 25, 1995. "Hands at Art". Cornelia Grunman.
The Reader. March 26, 1993. "Victim's Voices". Bonita McLaughlin.
Women At Work. Art Book, 1992. Alverno College. Milwaukee, WI.
Flyaways. Fall 1992. Monterrey, CA.
Women Artist News. Spring/Summer 1990. New York, N.Y.
ACM, Another Chicago. Transcultural Exchange. Chicago, IL.
The Reader. April 22, 1988. Achy Obejas.
Latina Art Showcase. Mexican Museum of Fine Arts, 1987. Chicago,IL.
Folha de Sao Paulo. May 11, 1980. Jacob Klintowitz. Sao Paulo,Brazil.
Estado de Sao Paulo. May 27, 1980. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

EDUCATION

1976 Sociology of Education. University of Paris,
Sorbonne. Paris, France.

1973 Graphic Design and Visual Arts. Ecole
D'Estienne. Paris, France.
1970 Psychology. University of Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1964 Visual Arts, Printmaking. Armando Alvarez
Penteado. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

LANGUAGES
Fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese.