Studio Lenca

ABOUT

Studio Lenca aka Jose Campos is an artist from El Salvador living and working in the UK.

“I was born in La Paz, El Salvador and like many had to flee the country during its violent civil war during the late 1980’s. I travelled to the US by land, illegally with my mother. I grew up in San Francisco, California as a queer minority in the gaze of a strictly conservative administration as an undocumented ‘illegal alien’. Ultimately, I found refuge in the UK and became a British Citizen in 2007. This experience of being uprooted serves as a framework for my ideas to be read by others as themes of identity, belonging and oppression are universal.

As a queer member of the Latinx diaspora , my work is focused on ideas surrounding difference, knowledge and visibility. I work with performance, video, painting and sculpture. My work often starts through personal memories, creative activism or underpinned by different forms of praxis. I work under the name of ‘Studio Lenca’ as the language of ‘studio’ refers to a space for experimentation and a place that is constantly shifting. Lenca refers to my ancestors of my native El Salvador.“

Email studiolenca@gmail.com

CV

Jose Campos
B.1986 La Paz ,El Salvador
Lives and works in the UK

Education:
MA Arts & Learning 2019 Goldsmiths University of London
Art & Design PGCE 2015 Goldsmiths University of London
MA Contemporary Dance 2013 London Contemporary Dance School

2021

The Pattern of patience at Marc Straus Gallery NYC

Los Historiantes, Nominated for Prix Pictet

2020
Los Historiantes , Winner of the Open Solo exhibition Photofringe UK

Unknown Learning , Northdown Studios

Peckham Pride Mural Culture Seeds

Queer’ing the art curriculum lecture University of Arts London

2019
Mile of String , Horniman Museum London

Los Historiantes , ‘La Horchata’ Publication Washington DC

Los Historiantes , VIA Arts Prize Embassy of El Salvador

Peoples Voices for Tony Cokes Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art

Los Historiantes Margate NOW Festival

Doing and Undoing St James Gallery, Goldsmiths University

2018
Critical Pedagogy in Contested Spaces Tate Modern

The Artist Teacher 288 New Cross Rd

2017
Rural Painting School La Paz El Salvador

2016
Artist in Residence Under the Same Sun , South London Gallery

2015
Kill Kill Kill Parasol Unit Gallery , London

2014
Navigating dance with my fat body 288 New Cross RD

Passport Please 310 New Cross RD Gallery

2013
The Wave Trinity Laban

The Wave National Portrait Gallery

2012
Local Group Resolutions !, The Place London

2011
Choreographic Scores at Trisha Brown Barbican Art Gallery, London

Visiting Lecturer

New York University “The Latinx Project”

Goldsmiths CCA Assistant curator

Freelands Foundation

Unknown Learning Northdown studios

University of the Arts London

Embassy of El Salvador

VIA Arts Prize

University College London

University of Leeds

Trinity Laban