Southwest Chapter ConferenceSpeakers

Alanna Airitam

Saturday, October 19, 2024 @ 5:00pm, NEW LOCATION: Lindquist Hall 101

Keynote: Alanna Airitam

Alanna Airitam is a self-taught photo-based conceptual artist based in Tucson, Arizona, known for her dramatic lighting style and pushing the boundaries of traditional photography by incorporating materials such as metal, resin, varnish, and gold into her work. Inspired by the lighting of 17th-century paintings and the legacy of early Black studio photography.

Her practice is fueled by the passionate belief that all humans have the birthright to freedom and pursuit of their full potential. She uses her practice for healing the past, envisioning a liberated future, and to remind people of their power in the face of oppression.

Airitam's work has been exhibited and collected by prestigious institutions like the Center for Creative Photography, New Orleans Museum of Art, RISD Museum, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Her accolades include the 2020 San Diego Art Prize, the Michael Reichman Project Grant Award, and the 2023 Project Mesquite: New Works Grant for the Black Diamonds project. Committed to supporting artists of color, she served on the boards of Medium Photo and Oakwood Arts, co-founded the Southwest Black Artists Collective, and co-founded The Projects, an experimental art space. Additionally, she mentors undergraduate and graduate students through the MFA Homecoming Program and supports emerging artists from low economic backgrounds in finding their voices and opportunities in the art world.