Meet Andreina Fuentes Angarita

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andreina Fuentes Angarita a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Andreina , thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I am not quite certain where my optimism came from but since I am a little girl I had live reflected on the positive aspects of life. I remember my summer camp guides telling me that I should have a bottle production corporation to distribute my optimism to the rest of the world! I was 15 years old. The equivalent word for optimism in Spanish is ” Alegria ” And I have an aunt who decided to name her self “Alegria “. She is now 87 years old. Definitely could be a family gene.
I am not only optimistic about life but very enthusiastic. A professional dreamer , an unstoppable happiness fan.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Andreína Fuentes Angarita: Creative Mindset , looking to the stars.

To understand the motivation of my creative mindset practices ,full of innovation and different ways, is necessary to connect all the dots of my life. As Steve Jobs said in his Stanford University presentation in 2005: You can’t connect dots looking forward, only looking backwards. This is why I will try to connect the dots of my unusual, extraordinary and singular journey in the next lines.
I born in Caracas, Venezuela (April 5 1968 ) and became a banker. By 1990 I was working at UBS in New York in the New York Stock Exchange. I was a YUPI. In 1996 I decided to quit all and become an artist. So I start to studied again, Museum studies and Art History , also photography , Sculpture. At the same time I was at the law school. At this point you should ask what relation have one thing with the other?. I was exploring all the options and became an artist , curator, cultural promoter , museum scientist, a wife and a mother. I have it all but I wasn’t happy. Also in the middle of a huge political and social crisis in Venezuela with 21C Socialism and Hugo Chavez.
The first thing that happened was I decided I want to be a social museum specialist working with the Movement of the New Museology (MINOM). I din’t like the tradicional museum so I created in 1999 a methodology to generate community engagement education while I was working at the Museo Jacobo Borges in Venezuela. Exhibition-Action: Arts and Communities mean a big perspective change in the museum field. I started to apply the method to the LGBTQI+ community since 2004 generating emblematic exhibits as “The Wedding Album” and “Transit”.
My unorthodox way to work and political position granted me a persecution in Venezuela and I decided to used Nina Dotti as my alter ego to be able to continue to manifest my will and continue to pursuit my dreams. But for safety reasons I have to moved to Miami with my two daughters in 2003 where I opened the gallery HARDCORE ART CONTEMPORARY SPACE in Wynwood. I spent a decade being an international gallery owner and artist and transitioned the project to The Chill Concept @ Hardcore in 2013. During this journey I created in 2006 , Arts Connection Foundation Inc and Miami New Media Festival , This endeavors continue until today, 18 years and 18 editions of the festival that you can enjoy in our space in Allapatha at 676 NW 23rd Miami Fl 33127 just near The Rubell Museum and. Superblue.
Also I have an art Collection since 1996 that you can search in www.fuentesangaritacollection.org. As social media grows in 2014 as a result from Miss Wynwood performance ( 2014-2019) born The Wynwood Times that you can access online at www.thewynwoodtimes.com and now my new podcast Las Lupitas in all the platforms .
I even create my own virtual museum www.theinclusivewaymuseum.org and belong to the PAMM collectors council. Wrote a self-fiction novel “El Ultimo Vientre Judio” published by Verbum in Spain before just before Covid-19.
After Covid I decided to use my real name Andreína Fuentes Angarita as an artist and did Photo Espana Master where I started “Transdecision” project and incorporate a new non-profit corporation named Identity Adequacy Movement to help with immigration and gender issues,
Right now I work with Food of War , an art collective from London establishing relations between food and conflict. Our next exhibit ” The Forbidden Fruit ” will open November 10th 2023 in Arts Connection Foundation Space, For this exhibit we recreate an anti war mantra from the 60’s during Vietnam War : MAKE ART , NOT WAR in order to shift our focus from discord to creativity, from destruction to unity, Let’s promote peace through art, celebrating differences and fostering understanding.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilence Creative Mindset
Wellness

My advice is to trust the process…

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Hello Fears by Michelle Poler Crush your comfort zone and become who you are meant to be.
Embrace life, brave and abundant being your authentic self

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Pipe Yanguas

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