Art Faculty Summer Research

We are so proud of our faculty and the incredible achievements, creative projects, and research they’ve pursued over the summer. Their dedication and innovation continue to inspire our community. Here’s a glimpse into some of their recent work. Andrea Polli is currently a Professor and Director of STEAM NM with appointments in the College of Fine Arts and School of Engineering. She is an artist working at the intersection of art, science, and technology whose proactive work includes media installation, public art, curating and directing art, and community projects, and writing. Over the summer, she was an Artist-in-Residence at the Space Department in Nara, Japan, where she worked to develop sculptures using Algae based bioplastics and locally sourced tsuchikabe and clay. She then presented this work at the Naramichi Center in Nara, at FabCare Kyoto, and the Bioclub Tokyo. The article, “Listen to Air, Mapping Climate-A conversation with Andrea Polli,” written by Hanna Gabo Karaso, states, “She [Poli] often turns climate and weather data into immersive art that helps people connect with environmental issues on both an emotional and intellectual level…Polli often dives into topics like air quality, pollution, and climate change, using her artistic skills to visualize complex data about weather, energy, and other big impacts.” Such incredible research!

Ray Hernández-Durán is the Professor of Spanish Colonial Art and Architecture and affiliated with Latin American Studies, Chicana/Chicano Studies, Africana Studies, and Museum Studies. Central to his research and teaching has been a critical exploration of historiography, colonialism, institutional histories and practices, and the political nature of knowledge production. Over the summer, he was featured in the Albuquerque Journal in an article written by Logan Royce Beitman, titled “In Review Roundup: Three Must-See Exhibitions,” written on August 17th, 2025. This article highlighted Ray’s recent exhibition “Voces del Pueblo” at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. This is a historic exhibition of six artists-activists who were instrumental in shaping New Mexico’s Chicana/o art movement from its origins in the early 1970s.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

1) READ THE FULL FabCafe Tokyo article at https://fabcafe.com/magazine/kyoto/spcs-talks-vol-14-report
2) READ THE FULL Albuquerque Journal at https://www.abqjournal.com/lifestyle/article_3340ca18-2619-499a-bb1b-61c931dc1a3f.html#1
2) LEARN MORE about our faculty within the UNM Dept. of Art by visiting https://art.unm.edu/people/faculty