About

Mafe Izaguirre (Venezuela, 1978) is a New York-based cybernetic artist who explores hybrid spirituality through the lens of Posthumanism. Her work challenges the traditional view of the human as a separate and superior entity from other species and machines. Izaguirre believes humans are part of a larger network of interconnected beings, and that our identities are shaped by our interactions with these other beings.

Her Hybrid Spiritual Systems™ explore the ways in which our bodies and minds can be augmented with technology, and how these augmentations can change our relationship to the world around us. She creates artifacts that explore the potential for humans to become more than human. Her thought-provoking and challenging propositions offer new perspectives on the human condition. Izaguirre work is a reminder that we are an entangled organism that is constantly evolving.

Affiliations

Member of the Long Island City Artists Association, LIC, New York.
Director of Content and Member of the Global Posthuman Network
Member of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Posthuman Network

 

 

Studio Visits

Radiator Studios, #3. LIC, Queens, New York.
To schedule a studio visit, please contact Mafe Izaguirre

Biography

Venezuelan Chapter

Mafe Izaguirre was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1978 and grew up on the verge of democratizing personal computers and the Internet boom. She wrote her first code at eight. At thirteen, she discovered her passion for philosophy with the book Thus Spoke Zarathustra by F. Nietzsche. In the summer of 1996, Izaguirre graduated with a Baccalauréat of Arts & Humanities degree from Mater Salvatoris College-Preparatory School (Venezuela). In 2002, she obtained a B.A. from PROdiseño School of Visual Communication, where she specialized in web and multimedia design, and later taught visual language and digital media for a decade. Her research about cybernetics and the artificial mind began in 2005 during the seminar Two Conceptions of the Mind: Descartes and Wittgenstein, dictated by Prof. Ivette Nava and Prof. Carlos Padrón (UCAB) from the GRAF Philosophical Association. In 2012, Izaguirre studied photography at the Organización Nelson Garrido (La ONG, Caracas). Between 2003 and 2015, Izaguirre worked as creative consultant in digital media for the advertising industry.

New York Chapter

In January 2016, Izaguirre moved to New York City to build an emotion machine that helped her amplify her cognitive capacities. In Spring, she carried out studies in Arduino technology at Cooper Union. In Autumn, she joined the seminar Aesthetics and The Senses dictated by Rebbeca Ariel Porte at The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research at The Goethe Institute, New York. The first series of visual schemes arose as notations of her philosophical research on the Mind during that time. By the end of 2016, Izaguirre joined the maker space Fat Cat Fat Lab, located in the West Village Manhattan, where she developed her first prototype of an “emotion machine.” The concept was inspired by Prof. Marvin Minsky’s (MIT) ideas, but she later declared her artifacts as Sensitive Machines™. During the Spring of 2017, Izaguirre expanded her technical skills in manufacturing with certificates in laser cutting and 3D printing. In the Fall of 2017, she was invited by Tim Gowan to present The Mind Project to critics and curators of Trans-cen-der Group in Brooklyn, New York. In 2018, the so-called Emotion Machine was first exhibited in Chinatown Soup Gallery in New York. Since then, fragments of Izaguirre’s machines have been exhibited at The Atlantic Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan, along with The Plaxall Gallery in Long Island City, The Green and Blue Gallery in Wasta, South Dakota, The Project Space of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, and the Theater Lab in Manhattan, among other independent art spaces. She has been invited to work as a tech mentor for the youth at Mouse Inc. (Manhattan); as a resident artist at the DreamYard Project Art Center in the Bronx; and was the co-founder and Creative Director of the psychoanalytic journal ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action between 2017 and 2021.

Izaguirre have been working closely with the ideas of Prof. Francesca Ferrando (NYU). In 2021, she was invited to carry out a one-year research residency at the Foreign Objekt Posthuman Art Network. Currently, Izaguirre is the Director of Digital Content of the Global Posthuman Network, and a Board Member of the Latin American Posthuman Network.

Mafe Izaguirre lives and works in Long Island City, New York.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions 2022 | Foreign Objekt, Xennoverse Exhibition. Curated by Spideh Majidi. Xennoverse is the ninth variance within a family of autoregressive models of verses. It consists of sets of hypothetical groups of Multiverses. Read more.
2021 | The Theather Lab. The Silence: A Hybrid Meditation Session with Mafe Izaguirre’s Sensitive Machines. Presented as part of the Theaterlab’s Rhythms Routines Rituals series. Curated by Orietta Crispino. May 22 to 31, 2021. 357 W 36th St, 3rd floor, New York, NY.
2021 | The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts: Project Space Program. The Mirror: A Cybernetic Installation.  Presented as part of [Move Semantics]: Rules of Unfolding, facilitated by Elæ Moss & Jeff Kasper. March 27 – May 1, 2021. 323 West 39th Street New York, NY 10018.
2020 | Virtual Presentation in collaboration with The Astoria Music Project. “Music, She Wrote” season, a free and open to all series of events celebrating women composers and women artists. Sunday, Dec 6th at 7 pm via Youtube. Mafe Izaguirre presented her Sensitive Machines™ while listening to “Love Let the Wind Cry… How I Adore Thee” by Undine Smith Moore. Min 5:00, Installation; Min 26:19, Q&A.
2020 | Solo Show, presenting the cybernetic installation: Cantecikiya, which means “my heart is inspired by you” in the Lakota language. Green & Blue Gallery. Wasta, South Dakota. U.S. July 23rd through the 27th, 2020. Curated by Mia Feroleto.
2019 | Long Island City Artists at Atlantic Gallery. Pop-up Show: 33 LICA Artists. Showing: Qi, a sensitive machine. Atlantic Gallery: 548 West 28th St, Suite 540. New York, NY 10001. Group Pop-Up Show. January 29th to February 16th. Curated by Carol Crawford.
2018 | Escape Velocity. Showing: The Emotion Machine III a sensitive machine. Plaxall Gallery 5-25 46th Ave, Long Island City 11101. Group Pop-Up Show. March 13th – May 13th. Curated by Edjo Wheeler, the gallery will be highlighting the work of Greg Hildebrandt.
2018 | States of Being at Chinatown Soup Gallery. Showing: The Emotion Machine III a sensitive machine. 16B Orchard St, New York, New York 10002. Group Pop-Up Show. March 8th – March 11th and will feature new works by artists, Michael Krasowitz, Lori Horowitz, Izzy Nova, Mafe Izaguirre, and Andrea Lawl Manning.
2017 | The Set NYC: Women in Arts Chelsea. Showing: A dehiscence of Being, 2017 (The Crown), a sensitive machine. Holy Apostles Gallery, 296 9th Ave NY NY. November 14th, 2017. Hosted by Pim Shih.
2017 | Talk about The Mind Project at Trans-cen-der Art Group (TAG). Brooklyn Fire Proof’s Temporary Space Gallery on 119 Ingraham Street in Bushwick. October 24th, 2017. Hosted by Tim Gowan.
2017 | Making Connections, Henry DeFord Gallery. Showing: Flowers of New York (FONY) CiTi Group at Citi, One Court Square at 44th, Dr., Long Island City, NY 11101. October 26th – January 30th, 2017. Juror Elizabeth Hoy
2017 | Visual Narratives, Loft Artist Association. Showing: Flowers of New York (FONY) 575 Pacific Street, Stamford CT 06902. August 26 – Sept. 24, 2017. Juror Katerina Lanfrancohad.
2017 | Making Connections, Plaxall Gallery. Showing: Flowers of New York (FONY) 5-46 46th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101. August 26 – Sept. 24, 2017. Juror Elizabeth Hoy.

Residencies

2021 – 2022 | Foreign Objekt Posthuman Art Residency. Research project: Posthuman Spirituality. Read More or visit the List of residents.

2018 -2019 | DreamYard Project: Digital Learning Artist-in-Residence. The Bronx, New York. The Art Center is particularly interested in shifting the dominant narrative about communities and young people in the South Bronx, which is too often focused on deficits and not assets and creativity. We want to help our young people tell their own stories using both new and old tools to create a new kind of archive for the future.

Awards

2021 | Jerome Foundation’s Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship Program — 2021 Designated Alternate Awardee in the New Media category. New York, NY.

 

2020 | Queens Council for the Arts, Artist Grant — Funded by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Greater New York Arts Development Fund. New York, NY.

More Info: 2020 QUEENS ARTS FUND AWARDEES

 

2020 | MoreArt Fellowship 2020— Public Art Program. Press Release: Mafe Izaguirre: one of the eight More Art’s Engaging Artists Fellows of 2020. New York, NY.

More Info: http://moreart.org/announcing-our-2020-engaging-artists-fellows-and-artist-in-residence/

 

2018 | Gradiva® Award in the category of New Media. National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) to ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action.

Each year NAAP recognizes the literary and artistic achievements of those who have created works that represent and promote psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. Visit: analytic-room.com

 

2017 | International Photographer of the Year. Category: Fine Art: Conceptual. (AMATEUR) HONORABLE MENTION Maria Izaguirre (United States). FONY, Flowers of New York. Click here to see IPOTY’s gallery

Honors

2022 | Digital Culture Forum – Fundación Telefónica Movistar Debates on Innovation for New Audiences — Mafe Izaguirre presents The Post-poetic Machine. Curators: Humberto Valdivieso and Lorena Rojas Parma. Virtual Premiere in Youtube. May 26th, 2022. Iberoamerica.

 

2022 | Panelist at Futures Narratives + Networks. Work from the More Art Fellowship at Queens Museum — More Art 2020 and 2021 Engaging Artist Fellows. April 10, 2022. Retrieved from Queens Museum: EA fellows share their work as socially engaged artists through a series of workshops, performances, and conversations with invited guests. Complementing works by Stephanie Dinkins and Suzanne Lacy currently on view at the Queens Museum, EA Fellows explore new opportunities to “subvert cultural narratives” and engage with the potential of our collective and individual future histories. Participating fellows include Mafe Izaguirre, Bryanna Bradley, Chantal Feitosa-Desouza, Cody Ann Herrmann, Andrew Freiband, Hyperlink Press, Amy Khoshbin, Althea Rao, Amy Ritter, and Hanae Utamura, with additional contributions by Bel Falleiros and Amy Wetsch.

 

2019 | Seminar Human: Too Posthuman. Telefónica Foundation Venezuela — Mafe Izaguirre presents The Mind Project. Curators: Humberto Valdivieso and Lorena Rojas Parma. Mega Digital Room Movistar. Caracas, Venezuela.

More Info in Spanish and English: https://mafeizaguirre.com/seminario-fundacion-telefonica-mafe-izaguirre/

 

2018 | ICP LAB: MANUFACTURED MEMORY, MANUFACTURED HISTORY. International Center of Photography Museum. 250 Bowery, New York, NY 10012.

This program is part of the Critical Jamming series, presented by the ICP Lab. The ICP Lab is a new home for visual storytellers to experiment with technology and create interactive and immersive experiences. I will be joining Per Gylfe, Paul Pangaro, Rinat Sherzer, Miles Goscha, and Jeanna Matthews in the #CriticalJamming, bringing to the open grid questions about “The Image of Truth.” May 27, 2018 (2:30PM – 5PM EDT)

Publications

English

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “Hybrid Spirituality.” Foreign Objekt – The Space Gallery, Sep 20, 2021.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “The Unknowable Reality, Machines that Feel.” New Observations #133, November 16, 2019.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “Introduction to Intimacies, an interview with Patrick Webb and Anna Fishzon.” ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action, October 2019.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe) and Hattie Myers. ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action, Issues: Room 9.17; Room 5.17; Room 9.17; Room 2.18; Room 6.18; Room 9.18; Room 2.19; Room 6.19; Room 10.19; Room 10.19; Room 2.20; Room 6.20; Room 10.20; Room 2.21; Room 6.21; Room 10,21. September 2017 – October 2021.

Spanish

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). Inventus: Antología de Ciencia Ficción. Waratu Ediciones, Abril 2022.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “Rolando Peña en WhiteBox Harlem Nueva York.” Tráfico Visual, Noviembre, 2019. 

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). Diálogo Patético Nro 3: Habitar el Cuerpo Artificial La ONG. Mayo 1, 2019.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “El Arte Tecnológico, Una Cacofonía.” Revista Científica Persea, Junio 09, 2018.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). Diálogo Patético Nro 2: Espacios de Silencio con Enrique Enriquez. La ONG. April 08, 2018.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). Diálogo Patético Nro 1: La Imagen de la Verdad con Pablo Galindo. Mayo 30, 2018.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “Los Hilos del Caos.” La ONG. Junio 5, 2018.

Press

English

▪ More Art. “Mafe Izaguirre: Cross-Cultural Cybernetics.” Medium. Feb 18, 2021.

▪ International Center of Photography (ICP). Talk: “ICP Lab: Manufactured Memory, Manufactured History”. May 27, 2018.

▪ Aporrea. “Venezuelan Visual Artist Mafe Izaguirre Exhibited her Work in NYC.”. March 12, 2018.

▪ Horowitz, Lori. “States of Being.” Art Week. March 8, 2018.

▪ Obenauer, Sarah. “Womxn Rank 2018 NYC Make-a-Thon Case Study.” April 2, 2018.

▪ Long Island City Artists Association. “Making Connections.” October 26, 2017.

Spanish

▪ “La artista visual venezolana Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” El Nacional. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “La artista visual venezolana Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” La Patilla. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “Artista visual venezolana Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” Aporrea International. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “La artista visual venezolana Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” El Diario La República. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “La artista visual venezolana Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” 24 Venezuela. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” Segundo Enfoque. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “Mafe Izaguirre presentó su ‘Máquina de Emociones’ en Nueva York.” La Lupa Digital. Marzo, 2018.

▪ “Mafe Izaguirre muestra su obra en Nueva York.” Opinión y Noticias. Marzo, 2018.

Collaborations

English

▪ Negarestani, Reza. “Future of Intelligence in the Age of Intellectual Scarcity.” Transcribed and edited by Mafe Izaguirre and Sepideh Majidi. Foreign Objekt, Oct 25, 2021.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “Consciousness and Contact.” New Observations #136, 2020.

▪ Izaguirre, Maria Fernanda (Mafe). “The Pine Ridge Reservation.” New Observations #135, 2018.

Curatorial Work

2017-2021 | Art Curator for ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action. I selected and prepared 24 artists and their works to participate in virtual exhibitions, print issues, and other cultural activities. The 2021 collection includes — ROOM 2.21: Gjertrud Hals (Norway); ROOM 6.21: Jacqueline Shatz (New York); ROOM 10.21: Angyvir Padilla (Venezuela/ Brussels). | 2020 — ROOM 2.20: Juan Pablo Valdivieso (Venezuela); ROOM 6.20: Susan Sechler Luss (New York), Rafael Silveira (Brazil), Linda Louis (New York); ROOM 10.20: Daniel Derderian (France). | 2019 — Jon McKenzie and Aneta Stojnic (New York), Enrique Enriquez (New York), Rachel Brown (New York), Anne Sherwood Pundyk (New York), José Vívenes (Venezuela), Gala Garrido (Venezuela), Patrick Webb (New York), Francesca Schwartz (New York), Shelley Himmelstein, Sophie Sandberg (New York). | 2018 — Francesca Schwartz (New York), Diana Schmertz (New York), Betty Teng (New York), Joanna Goodman (New York), Juan Mariño (Venezuela), Leah Lipton (New York), Natalie Korytnyk Forrester (New York), Shelley Himmelstein (Pennsylvania), Aneta Stojnic, Sarah Valeri and Gail Bragg (New York). | 2017 — Sarah Valeri (New York), Susan Katz (New York), Violette Bule (Venezuela/USA).

2015 | Curator, arteZanos presents “Ventanas El Hatillo.” Ephemeral exhibition at El Hatillo’s public space. Twenty-one featured artists paying tribute to national artist Armando Reverón. November 13th and 15th – Caracas, Venezuela.

2015 | Curator, arteZanos Pedro León Zapata Tribute. Museum of Contemporary Art of Zulia (MACZUL). Eleven emerging artists paying tribute to national artist Pedro León Zapata. Maracaibo, Venezuela.

2015 | Curator, arteZanos Pedro León Zapata Tribute. Los Amigos Invisibles Acoustic Show at Teresa Carreño’s Theater. Eleven emerging artists paying tribute to national artist Pedro León Zapata. Caracas, Venezuela.

2015 | Curator, arteZanos Pedro León Zapata Tribute. Alternative Spaces El Hatillo’s Art Center. Eleven emerging artists paying tribute to national artist Pedro León Zapata. Caracas, Venezuela.

Academic

With a Bachelor’s Degree from PROdiseño Visual Communication School, Mafe Izaguirre has gathered more than a decade of expertise in the teaching field. She has been entitled as a teacher to the Digital Design Workshop at Prodiseño and as an Associated Professor and Researcher in the Introductory Workshop of Visual Communication, joining Professor Eduardo López. Some of the academic projects led by Izaguirre are:

2018 | Tech Mentor for the Design League. DreamYard Project. 1085 Washington Ave. The Bronx. New York, 10456. USA.

 

2018 | Tech Mentor. Mouse Inc. Technology with Purpose. 55 Broad Street, 16th Floor
New York, New York 10004. USA.

 

2018 | NY CORE: New York Collective of Radical Educators. Eighth Annual Conference at the James Baldwin School, Manhattan. NY. It is a group of public school educators committed to fighting for social justice in our school system and society at large, by organizing and mobilizing teachers, developing curriculum, and working with the community, parent, and student organizations.

 

2009 – 2010 | Role: Research Mentor. Project: “Cognosotros” interactive visual tools to promote the independence of people with intellectual disabilities. Created by Mauricio Vivas. Honorable Mention.

 

2009 – 2010 | Role: Research Mentor. Project: “Percepto” tools for stimulating audiovisual perception experiences of the individual. Created by Vincente Velazco and Nicole Bigio.

 

2009 – 2010 | Role: Research Mentor. Project: “Dynamic, interactive public spaces” awareness tools for the pedestrian in public space. Created by Ivonne Gargano, Mahadev Rojas, and Ivan Calzadilla.

 

2008 – 2009 | Role: Research Mentor. Project: “Hiperletra” interactive complement to the initial learning of the alphabet. Created by Angyvir Padilla and Ana Karina Posadas. Honorable Mention.

 

2007 – 2009 | Role: Expert Researcher. Project: Mindmate CBT System research project. Abstract: Strategic conceptualization for the virtualization of the CBT program (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to treat alcohol, drugs, and other addictions using digital media tools. The project was generated by Psychologist Dr. Francisco Flores and Sociologist Charlotte Love, at Liverpool University, UK.

 

2009 – 2010 | Professor at Workshop: Web Design.  | 14 students | 8th Semester. Role: Driving in the strategic and technical training of students to design Web design projects.

 

2006 – 2007 | Research Mentor: Public interest campaign for the conservation of endangered species in Venezuela by Silene Pedrón.

 

2005 – 2008 | Professor at Workshop: Introduction to Visual Communication. | 46 students | 1st to 4th Semester. Role: Driving in the conceptual and technical training of the students on the fundamentals of language and visual communication.

 

2002 – 2003 | Professor at Workshop: Graphic Design VI | 20 students | 8th Semester.  Primary Role: Planning and co-driving research projects about Gego’s artistic work from the communicative experience perspective. Secondary Role: Mentor in strategic design projects.

Studies and Training

2022 | Poetry Mentorship. Dictated by Prof. and Poet Elonora Requena (UCAB).

2022 | Seminar: The Disconnection Thesis dictated by Prof. David Roden. Foreign Objekt – Posthuman Art Network.

2021 | Seminar: The Art of the Posthuman Existence with Prof. Francesca Ferrando. Foreign Objekt and the Global Posthuman Network.

2021 | Sewing Workshop. The New York Sewing Center. New York, USA.

2021 – 2023 | Science Fiction Narrative Workshop. Dictated by Prof. and author José Urriola (UCAB).

2019 | Mig Welding Workshop. MakerSpace NYC. Brooklyn, New York, USA.

2018 | Sewing Workshop. Mood Fabrics. New York, USA.

2018 | Silkscreen Workshop. EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (RBPMW). New York, USA.

2016 | Seminar: Aesthetics and the Senses. Brooklyn Institute for Social Research. New York, USA.

2016 | Seminar: Arduino platform. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. New York, USA.

2014 | Silkscreen Workshop. Organización Nelson Garrido ONG. La Cucaracha Serigráfica. Caracas, Venezuela.

2013 | Photography Workshop. Organización Nelson Garrido ONG. Caracas, Venezuela.

2010 | Experimental Typography Workshop. Simple 7 Lab presents: Master Typographer Luis Giraldo | 8 students. Role: Host.

2005 | Seminar: Two mind conceptions: Descartes and Wittgenstein. Philosophical Association Group GRAF. Venezuela.

1998 – 2002 | B.A. in Visual Communication. School of Visual Communication PRODiseño. Caracas, Venezuela. Specialized in Digital Media.

1996 – 2000 | Professional Airbrush Artist. Iran Caro Airbrush Studio. Caracas, Venezuela. Specialist in hyper-realism and fantasy art.

1996 – 1998 | Visual Arts. Villasmil de León de Caracas, School of Visual Arts.

1997 | Children’s Books Illustration Workshop. Banco del Libro (Book Bank). Caracas, Venezuela.