About Susana Enríquez

“The artist Susana Enríquez has assimilated the world which initially created her, taken advantage of the cultural heritage which has formed her as a Mexican and transmitted this through her art. Forms, colours, textures, spaces, working in harmony with academic rules well learned and taken to the extreme, where only natural intuition may lead us to a happy ending.”

– J. Jesús Martínez Álvarez

Susana Enríquez’s first steps into the world of art took place in the field of music as a student of flute and percussions at the Escuela Superior de Musica. Later on music would play a different, but important, role in her artwork. Next she studied theatre. This gives us an idea of the dramatic and flamboyant personality that brings brilliant colours and vibrancy to her work. Being born and raised in Mexico City has also brought an intrinsic Latin American intensity that is readily apparent. Her studies with important Mexican Artists and her constant exposure to Mexican art, both past and present, have been important in her creative process.

Her marriage to Manuel Enríquez (a major Mexican composer b.1926-d.1994) has been a significant influence. Many of her works are directly related to him and more importantly to the extraordinary relationship to music that she formed due to their mutual and varied experiences in the realm of music.

Susana is not of a passive nature and her in situ knowledge of world art and other cultures through her travels has been put to use to define her Idiosyncrasies and enrich her art. She now resides in Australia and had continued her studies and experimentation at the University of Newcastle where she was the recipient of two scholarships: the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2003-2006) and the University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2003-2006).

Susana’s arts education began in the field of music as a student of flute and percussion, at present she holds a PhD degree in Fine Arts  (Newcastle University) and a specialisation degree in Art History and Curatorship from the Australian National University.

Susana is a visual artist who paints, draws and etches. She works in a wide range of mediums.   Her theme is the music in painting, but not limited to it.  Susana believes in music’s emotional power because music express itself through sound and time, it allows the listener a freedom of imagination, interpretation and emotional response that is not based on the literal or the descriptive but rather on the abstract quality of painting and this is played out through her creative process.

Since 1989 Susana has held 27 Solo Exhibitions and 32 Group exhibitions both local and international including 4 Biennales in Mexico.

  • 2009  Graduate Diploma (Curatorship Specialisation in Australian Art History & Curatorship) – Australian National University
    • Internship at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
  • 2006  PhD (Fine Art) – The University of Newcastle, Australia
    • Creation and exhibition of 2D works based on colour and music, through the establishment of a unique colour coding system (paintings, drawings and digital art)
  • 1996  M.A. Painting – Academia de San Carlos, Autonomous National University of Mexico
  • 1991  Bachelor of Arts – National School of Visual Arts, Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM)
  • 1982-1983  Drama and Literature – UNAM (Autonomous National University of Mexico)
  • 1977-1981  Bachelor of Music (flute and percussion) – Institute of Fine Arts School of Music, Mexico
  • 2016    Ciudades/Cities – Photographs – Museo de Arte Moderno  de Toluca (pending)
  • 2015    42nd Muswellbrook Art Prize– Muswellbrook Art Gallery. NSW Australia (group exhibiion)
  • 2014    From red to Mexican Pink, works on paper, ASW Gallery, Newcastle Australia
  • 2014    Migration: Identity and Memory – photographs – 10×8 Gallery, Sydney
  • 2012    Luz Silenciosa (Silent Light) paintings at Nanshe Studio/Gallery, Newcastle
  • 2011    Tema y Variaciones, painting, drawing, performance at Museo de Arte Moderno, Toluca,  October 21st. November 27 2011
  • 2011    Rojo de Ultramar, paintings, Seminario de Cultura Mexicana, Minister of Education in Mexico City March-April.
  • 2010    Días de Fiesta, digital prints, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
  • 2009    Del Otro lado del mar, Galería Adriana Valdéz, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
  • 2009    An intimate likeness, portraits, John Miller Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
  • 2008    Molto Vivace, Paintings and drawings, Muswellbrook Regional Gallery, NSW Australia
  • 2007    Wherever it may lead, paintings, John Miller Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
  • 2006    Lyrical Dsgressions, paintings, Tighes Hills Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
  • 2006    Painting Music, PhD Exhibition, School of Fine Art Gallery, The University of Newcastle, Australia
  • 2005    Painting Music, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT Australia
  • 2005    Reverberation Time, Installation (paintings on acetate), Watt Space, Newcastle
  • 2004    Espacios Sonoros, Pintura Watt Space gallery University of Newcastle. Australia
  • 2004    Landscapes of Sound, paintings. Work in progress, University of Newcastle Chancellery; Newcastle, Australia.
  • 2004    One hundred paintings, Visual Arts Building, Newcastle University, Australia.
  • 2003    Sounds and Colours, Tuggeranong Art Centre, National Multicultural Festival; Canberra, Australia.
  • 2001    Homenaje a Manuel Enríquez, Casa de la Cultura, Ocotlán, Jalisco, México.
  • 2001    Retrato de un compositor, Seminario de Cultura Mexicana. México City.
  • 1998    IV Festival de Artes Plásticas, ENEP Acatlán; Estado de Mexico
  • 1996    Homenaje a Jaime Sabines, Casa de la Cultura Jaime Sabines. México City
  • 1996    Reunión de Imágenes, Estudio de Elena Martin. Madrid, España.
  • 1994    Homenaje a Manuel Enríquez, Galeria Rufino Tamayo, Casa de la Cultura de Oaxaca, Oaxaca. Mexico
  • 1992    Lo orgánico por si mismo, Galeria Luis Nishizawa, Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas. UNAM. Mexico City
  • 1990    Pintura-Instalación, Concert Hall de la Universidad de Northridge en California, United States of America
  • 1989    Atmósferas Sonoras, Universidad La Salle, A.C. Mexico City
  • 1987    Monotipos en Color, Instituto Cultural Domecq, A.C., México, City
  • 2007    39th Muswellbrook Open Art Prize, Muswellbrook Art Gallery, NSW.
  • 2005    XII Bienal Rufino Tamayo, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Oaxaca, Oax. México, Museo de Arte de Sinaloa, Museo de Arte de Querétaro, Instituto Potosino de Cultura, México
  • 2003    Annual Student Acquisition Art Prize. Watts Space Gallery Newcastle, Australia.
  • 1997    Miniprint Internacional de Cadaqués, Spain
  • 1996    Miniprint Internacional de Cadaqués, tour exhibition: Spain, Japan, England and France
  • 1996     Bienal Hermenegildo Bustos, Alhóndiga de Granaditas, Guanajuato, Gto. México
  • 1991     Primera Bienal José Clemente Orozco, Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara, México
  • 1990    IV Bienal Diego Rivera, Museo del Pueblo, Guanajuato, Guanajuato
  • 1990    III Salón Anual de Miniestampa, National Museum of Graphic Art. México, City
  • 2007    M.A.T.E. (Members & Tenants, Community Art Centre) Newcastle Art Space, NSW
  • 2007    Snap to Grid 2007, digital prints. los Angeles Center for Digital Art (LACDA), Los Angeles, Ca. USA
  • 2007    Ten-ants-show painting, Art Space Newcastle, Australia
  • 2007    Canberra- Guadalajara, Ciudades amigas, paintings, Galería Adriana Valdéz, Guadalajara, México
  • 2006    Snap to Grid, digital prints, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art (lacda), Los Angeles, Calif. USA
  • 2005    Drawing the Line, Postgraduate students exhibition at School of Fine Art Gallery (SOFA) University of Newcastle
  • 2004    Small……a touch of Colour, Back to back Gallery, Newcastle, Australia.
  • 2004    Japan, Japan, Watt Space, University of Newcastle, Australia.
  • 2004    Just for help, Matter Hospice, Newcastle, Australia.
  • 2003    Three Generations of Mexican Art, Canberra Grammar School Gallery, Canberra, ACT Australia.
  • 2003    The House Show, Von Bertoch Gallery Newcastle, Australia.
  • 2003    University of Newcastle, SOFA, Faculty Staff & Student exhibition, – College of Liberal Arts of the University of South Carolina, USA.
  • 2003    Destination Drawing, University of Fine Arts Sydney, Australia & Beijing, China.
  • 2003    Collectors Choice, Von Bertoch Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
  • 2003    Octavo Salón Independiente de Arte Erotico, Galería de Arte Contemporáneo y Diseño, Puebla, México
  • 2002    The Flower Festival, Christ Church Cathederal, Newcastle, Australia.
  • 1999    En la cuerda floja, 25 artistas visuales; Centro Cultural San Angel, México, City
  • 1998    Arte y Espíritu, Oia Gallery, Santorini, Greece.
  • 1998    Nishizawa y sus alumnos, Galería Topete, México, City
  • 1998    Tomemos la Calle, Festival del Centro Histórico, STC METRO, México City
  • 1997    Imágenes de Fin de Siglo, Festival del Centro Histórico, Academia de San Carlos, México, City
  • 1996    Segunda Feria Universitaria de Arte, Museo Universitario Contemporáneo de Arte, MUCA, México,City
  • 1994    Homenaje a Luis Nishizawa, Palacio de Minería, México, City
  • 1992     Pintura Fresca, jóvenes pintores latinoamericanos; Galería Andre Malraux, Yerres, France
  • 2011     Latin Woman of the year 2011, distinction established by the AHWBN (Australian Hispanic Business Women Network)  .
  • 2003-2006     International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IRS), University of Newcastle.
  • 2003-2006     University of Newcastle Postgraduate Research Scholarship (UNPRS)
  • 1997     Mexican Endowment for the Arts Grant FONCA-CONACULTA
  • Migration: Identity and Memory –  photographic book Australia, November  2016
  • Private Dreams Public Collections, Manolo Ruiz Pipó , Newcastle  Art Gallery, Australia, February 2009
  • Voices of Mexico, CISAN-UNAM magazine, January-March 2007
  • Vivace, Susana Enriquez, PhD Exhibition Catalogue, University of Newcastle, 2006
  • Hunter Life Style Magazine, “Life in the Hunter Region of New South Wales”, Issue 4 November/October 2003
  • Voices of Mexico, CISAN-UNAM, magazine, Number 61, October-December 2002
  • Heterofonia – Cenidim, quarterly music magazine,  Institute of Fine Arts, 2000
  • MM1 Un Año de Diseñarte 1999, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. 1st. edition

2015 – 2016 Art teacher at The Arts Emporium, Newcastle, Australia

2011 – 2012    Painting teacher at the Newcastle Community Art Centre

2009    Contractor Curator at the Newcastle Art Gallery

2008 – 2009    Assistant curator  internship at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art (ATSIA) department. National Gallery of Australia.

2008    Curator, Newcastle Community Art Center Annual show at Art Space

2001    Assistant researcher CENIDIM, National Center of Musical Research in Mexico