Helena Martin Franco
Birthdate: N/A
Birthplace: Colombia
Based location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Social profiles
Helena Martin-Franco artist website
Helena Martin-Franco vimeo profile
Helena Martin Franco YouTube channel
Helena Martin-Franco archive at e-artexte
Helena Martin-Franco profile at Regroupement des artistes en arts visuels du Québec
Helena Martin-Franco profile at Ada X, Montreal
Helena Martin-Franco teacher profile at Visual Arts Centre, Montreal
Helena Martin-Franco profile at Viva Art Action, Montreal, 2013
Biography
Helena Martin-Franco (Colombia)
Helena Martin-Franco is a Colombian interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Montreal. Helena holds a bachelor’s degree in visual arts with honours from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogota and a master’s degree in visual and media arts from the University of Quebec in Montreal (2009). She has more than 20 years of experience as a professor of visual arts, teaching courses in ceramic, design, and painting in several institutions, including the 2022 aquarelle course at the Centre des art visuals in Montreal, Quebec. She has been the recipient of many awards, including the 2018 Prix Powerhouse Prize at La Central Galerie in Montreal, Quebec, and the Deplacement Boursarie from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec et Conseil des Arts du Canada.
Helena Martin-Franco’s studio work engages with different practices in video, installations, and performance. She reflects on body politics, land, and gender through her informed practice in activism and community outreach. Helena has showcased her work in Canada and internationally in the solo exhibitions Linge sale à blanchir (provisional title) at Le Lieu in Quebec (2023), Prix Powerhouse Prize (2018) video installation at La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse in Montreal, Quebec, and La Siesta de la Mujer Elefante (2014) at Sala de exposiciones Carlos Drews Castro in Pereira, Colombia. Her work has also been part of the collective exhibitions Overcoming Otherness (2023), curated by Tamara Toledo, Sur Gallery in Toronto, Le septème pétale d’une tulipe-monstre (2023), showcased at Galerie de l’UQAM, Montreal, and at La Maison des ar/stes Francophones, Saint-Boniface, Manitoba (2022).
Femme-elephant performance
without date
Digital photograph documentation
Femme elephant, press release exhibition Université de Moncton, New Brunswick, 2023, Google Images 2023
Solo exhibitions
Helena Martin-Franco solo exhibition Laberinto: la siesta de la mujer elefante, Sala de exposiciones Carlos Drews Castro in Pereira, Colombia, 2014
Collective exhibitions
Helena Martin-Franco collective exhibition Overcoming Otherness, curated by Tamara Toledo, Sur Gallery, Toronto, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Saturations invisibles, Réseau Art Actuel, Montreal, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Le septième pétale d’une tulipe-monstre, curated by Elise Anne LaPlante, Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen and Universite du Québec á Montréal, Montreal, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Terms of use, PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Terms of use, PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco overview collective exhibition Le septième pétale d’une tulipe-monstre, curated by Elise Anne LaPlante, Maison des artistes visuels francophones, Manitoba, 2022
Helena Martin-Franco collective exhibition Le septième pétale d'une tulipe-monstre, review by Mathilde Gautier, 2022
Helena Martin-Franco programming collective exhibition An Exhaling Aviary of Scattered Flights, curated by Michele Fiedler, SBC Gallery of Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2021
Helena Martin-Franco programming collective exhibition Un dos tres por mí y mis compañeras, curated by Nuria Carton de Grammont, Optica Centre d’ Art Contemporaine, Montreal, 2020
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Los subrogados les substituts, co-curate by Véronique Leblanc and Alejandra Labastida, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, 2019
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Los subrogados les substituts, co-curate by Véronique Leblanc and Alejandra Labastida, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, 2019
Helena Martin-Franco press release collective exhibition Le cabinet des censuré.e.s, curated by Julia Roberge Van Der Donckt, Quebec, 2019
Helena Martin-Franco collective exhibition États passagers, curated by Claudia Bernal, Festival LatinArte in collaboration with la Maison de la culture de Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc Extension, Montreal, 2011
Interviews
Helena Martin-Franco video interview Incandescences, curated by Daniel Fiset, PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2022
Helena Martin-Franco audio interview Radio Atelier, 2020
Presentations
Helena Martin-Franco performance Freehand absence, PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2021
Helena Martin-Franco video performance Freehand absence, PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art, Montreal, 2021
Helena Martin-Franco programming performance Elles Parlent Éléphant, Galerie B-312, Montreal, 2020
Helena Martin-Franco overview Artist Talk Conversalón Collective_31, Toronto, 2018
Helena Martin-Franco programming special event part of International Digital Art Biennial, Centre d’ Arts actuel Skol, Montreal, 2017
Helena Martin-Franco programming overview What is Left, What is Right, Forest City Gallery, London Ontario, 2017
Published work by Helena Martin-Franco
Helena Martin-Franco reviews Reflections from the Banff Residency, 2018
Helena Martin-Franco reflection Arte Latin X, 2017
Published work about Helena Martin-Franco
Helena Martin-Franco MA thesis by Elise Anne LaPlante, 2022
Helena Martin-Franco article by Alexandre Beaudoin Duquette, 2019
Helena Martin-Franco article by Pablo Gómez Barrios, 2017 (Spanish)
Helena Martin-Franco review by Pascale Navarro, 2012
Helena Martin-Franco article by Charles Prémont, 2008
Press release
Helena Martin-Franco press release Exploratory Laboratory Performative Urban Intervention, Dare Dare organization, Montreal, 2019
List of Grants, Awards and Projects
Helena Martin-Franco events L’araignée platform, Montreal
Helena Martin-Franco residency overview Oboro, Montreal, 2023
Helena Martin-Franco collaborative video Co-vid 10: What’s Next? Co-vid 19 exquisite corpse no 10 project, 2020
Helena Martin-Franco overview recipient of Prix Powerhouse, 2018
Helena Martin-Franco press release award recipient list Prix Powerhouse, 2018