Milena Carranza Valcárcel
1982 - Lima, Peru
Milena has a degree in Audiovisual Communication, a diploma in Photography and in Therapy through the Expressive Arts.
An activist within the Afro-Peruvian movement since 2000, she has since been part of various organizations, receiving in 2011 a grant from the US State Department to take the experiential program "The Cultural Heritage of the African Diaspora" in six cities in the US In 2012 she founded and directed, for three years, the Iwa Pele Educational Project, a space for development through art for children of African descent in the district of La Victoria.
She is also dedicated to cultural management, has worked as Coordinator of the Cultural Center of the Universidad Científica del Sur and as Coordinator of the Student Activities of the Cultural Area of the Peruvian-North American Cultural Institute - ICPNA. .
His photographic work focuses on the artistic manifestations of Afro-Peruvian and Diasporic culture, with special emphasis on their spiritual practices, being the series "El Niño Dios has been born. A journey along the Atajo de Negritos de Amador Ballumbrosio" series, one of the most representative.
In this way, he has been exhibiting in various institutions and cultural centers in the country and abroad.
Nowadays she lives in France, where she is studying a Master's Degree in International Artistic and Cultural Project Development in the city of Lyon. She actively participates in African student associations.
INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS
Peruvian Fortnight in France "Quipu 2019" and Fortnight of Equality, Diversity and Citizenship of Bordeaux - Bordeaux Town Hall
Prize for the best photo exhibition.
Bordeaux, France - November 2019
North American - Peruvian Cultural Institute - ICPNA
"Amador Ballumbrosio's Negritos Shortcut"
Chincha - Peru, January-March 2017
Afro-Peruvian National Museum
"Amador Ballumbrosio's Negritos Shortcut"
Lima, Peru 2011
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
AfroLatin America - MACLA
Collective exhibition as part of the Latin America and caribbean week
Bordeaux, France - October 2020
"Encounters of Bamako - African Biennial of Photography: Streams of consciousness"
Bamako, Mali - November 2019-January 2020
Afro-Latin New York Festival
New York, USA - July 2015
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Peru - Pachamama | Washington, USA - June-July 2015
Caguas Museum
"Afro-Latinos" - Collective Exhibition
Caguas, Puerto Rico - 2011
PUBLICATIONS
Something We Africans Got - SWAG #10
Africa arts critical thought - Article "Latin America She's also African and long live Mexico bastards" + pictures
June 2020
TALKS
African Culture Students Association of Lyon - AECAL . The resemblances between the Afroperuvian, Afrocuban and Afrobrazilian culture + Photo Exhibition
Lyon, France - May 2018
MoAD - Museum of the African Diaspora . The experience in making the "Atajo de negritos de Amador Ballumbrosio" photographic exhibition. San Francisco, USA - August 2015
CULTURAL PROJECTS
POETRY
ASTROLOGY