Henry Bermudez

“Creativity has always been a state of mind that makes me feel totally present. Art and discipline intersect in my studio; combined they harness my inner world of ideas and give me the staying power to move forward in ways that I can't always predict.”

Henry Bermudez is an artist interested in the visual representations of cultures and mythologies and is steeped in the genre of Magic Realism, which is an integral part of Latin American culture. His artistic work transcends timeline and national boundaries.  

Henry has been invited to participate in many exhibits, including representing Venezuela at the 1986 Venice Biennale. He has received numerous awards, fellowships, and residencies, including a Peter Benoliel Fellowship from the Center for Emerging Visual Artists, the Bader Fun (2017), The Libby Newman Artist Residency at The Brandywine Print Workshop (2017), and a Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant (2012). His work was also included in the Philagrafika print collaborative (2011).

Henry’s art has also been included in many exhibition catalogs such as the X International Print and Drawing Exhibition of China and in books on Venezuelan art. 

Henry currently teaches art at the Career Academy Developing Institute and Fleisher Art Memorial.  He is co-director of House Gallery 1816 in Fishtown and maintains an active studio and exhibition schedule.  

How do you define creativity?

“My work has been steeped in the genre of Magic Realism which is an integral part of Latinamerican culture.
As a child I was excited and proud of my drawings and paintings. Creativity was the one thing in my life where I could feel autonomous. It has always been a state of mind that makes me feel totally present. Art and dicipline intersect in my studio, combined they harness my inner world of ideas and give me the staying power to move forward in ways that I can't always predict.”

Biography:

Henry Bermudez’s interest in the visual representations of cultures and mythologies have appeared in his work in varying forms during his career. A journey of geographical, artistic and human observation has taken him from educational experiences in small isolated communities in the Caribbean up to representing Venezuela in the Venice Biennial. His artistic work transcends timeline and national boundaries. He has shown his work nationally and internationally and has been invited to participate in many exhibits including representing Venezuelas at the 1986 Venice Biennale. His work has also been included in many exhibition catalogs such as the X International Print and Drawing Exhibition of China as well as in books on the subject of Venezuelan art.

In 2018, he received a Peter Benoliel Fellowship from CFEVA PA . Grants and awards include the Bader Fun [2017]; The Libby Newman Artist Residency at The Brandywine Print Workshop [2017]; and a Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant [2012]. His work was also included in the Philagrafika print collaborative [2011].

He currently teaches art at the Career Academy Developing Institute (CADI) and at Fleisher Art Memorial. Henry Bermudez is co-director of HouseGallery1816 in Fishtown and maintains an active studio and exhibition schedule.