Estefania Puerta (b. 1988, Manizales, Colombia) is an artist interested in what is gained and lost in the process of recontextualizing materials. Her practice is rooted in worldmaking, shapeshifting, border crossing, and language failure. Her research in psychoanalysis as it relates to the history of hysteria, natural medicine, folklore, and personal histories of immigration and documentation in the U.S. questions what is considered “natural” and “alien.
Puerta was recently awarded the 2023-2024 Rome Prize by the American Academy in Rome. Her work has been exhibited at Proyecto N.A.S.A.L (CDMX and Guayaquil), Fortnight Institute (NYC), Micki Meng (SF), Species (ATL), and was included in the New England Triennial at DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. Puerta received her MFA from Yale School of Art. She was born in Colombia and currently lives and works between Vermont and New York.