Biography
Jean Pierre Arboleda was born in Quito, Ecuador. He grew up with a deep love of animals and nature and loved to draw and paint through out his childhood. He moved as a young adult to New York City and received his BFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts and his Masters degree in fine art at the New York Academy. His obsession with animals and nature grew to encompass topics that concerned issues of evolutionary change, environmental toxicity, and war. The very humanoid qualities Jean Pierre gives to his animals challenges the viewer to see the world from animal’s standpoint: in a world without humans, where animals have dominated humans and sport human trinkets and shrunken heads. His subjects mutate and morph, struggle with destruction and chaos, and wrestle with societal issues and re-contextualize them with animals in a critique of humanity and compassion.
Artist CV
Solo Shows
2014 The Nature of Evolution, AFA Gallery, New York NY
2008 Jinetes, DFN Gallery, New York NY
2008 Riders, Fuse Gallery, New York NY
Group Shows
2016
From the Academy, organized by Robert Lange Studios at the Vendue, Charleston SC
See No Evil, AFA Gallery, Los Vegas CA
Animalia, Abend Gallery, Denver CO
2015
Pandora's Box, AFA Gallery, New York NY
Charismatic Megafauna, Roq La Rue, Seattle WA
Into the Woods, Haven Gallery, Northpoint NY
Little Big, Haven Gallery, Northpoint NY
2013
The Pond, the Mirror, the Kaleidoscope, curated by Thomas Woodruff at the School of Visual Arts, New York NY
Compulsion, Mark Miller Gallery, New York NY
2012
Awaken, AFA Gallery, New York NY
The Drawing Room, Milavec Hakimi Gallery, New York NY
Love is in the Air, The Cell Gallery, New York NY
The Sum of Their Parts, The Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts, NJ
2010
Ultimo Piso, Quito, Ecuador
Draw, Tour Mexico City, Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico
(Group exhibition curated by Peter Drake and Alix Sloan) Sloan Fine Art Gallery, New York NY
Looks Good on Paper, DFN Gallery, New York NY
2009
18th Annual Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s Art Auction, New York NY
Wide Open de Par en Par, United Nations Headquarters, New York NY
Draw, Tour Shooting Gallery, San Francisco CA
Nuestra America, General Consulate of Venezuela, New York NY
2008
Take Home a Nude, Phillips de Pury & Company, New York NY
Drawing Group Show, Stolen Space Gallery, London England
Works on Paper Art Fair, Park Avenue Armory, New York NY
Works on Paper, DFN Gallery, New York NY
Wet, DFN Gallery, New York NY
2007
Summer Exhibition, NYAA, New York NY
Miami Bridge Art Fair, DFN Gallery, Miami Beach FL
2006
Master of Fine Arts Exhibition, NYAA, New York NY
Take Home a Nude, Phillips de Pury & Company, New York NY