Perform by Mercedes Jelinek
Mercedes Jelinek (b. 1985 New Haven, CT) is an American artist working in Italy and NYC. She holds a BFA in Visual Arts from the State University of New York at Purchase and an MFA from Louisiana State University. She recently completed the three-year residency at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, including the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in Louisiana; the Hinson Art Museum, Gaston County Museum, Blowing Rock Art and History Museum and the Cassilhaus Gallery in North Carolina; SoHo Photo Gallery, Cuchifritos Gallery, Littlefield Gallery, and Gallery MC in New York; Page Bond Gallery in Virginia; the Satellite Art Show at Art Basal Miami; 30-under-30 Exhibition at Vermont Center for Photography; MPLS Photo Center in Minnesota; Midwest Center for Photography Exhibition at the Center Gallery in Kentucky; among others. Mercedes' second book, Lost: Spruce Pine, published by Kris Grave Projects in New York City, was launched this past July and was acquired by the Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum, Library of Congress, Aperture Foundation and the Getty Institute collections. She is also on the board of Blue Sky Gallery in Portland.
Other Notable works include:
- Better Than A Bandana Mask Project (2020)
- Neighborhood Photo Booth Project (2010-2020)
- All Hands On Deck (2020)
- Finding Scarlet (2019-2020)
- Venice is Flooding (2019-2020)
- Perform (2018-2020)
- Women of the Rodeo (2015-2019)
- Makers (2014-2019)
- If Birds Sank Ships (2015)
Mercedes Jelinek is a photographer who specializes in black and white portraiture. Her curiosity about the variety of humanity drives her work. The resulting images reflect the personal connection she makes with her subjects.