María Fernanda Mancera

About María Fernanda Mancera

I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and have lived in the U.S. since late 2019. Currently, I work as the Assistant Curator of Indigenous Art at the RISD Museum in Providence, Rhode Island. My research focuses on Indigenous and diasporic art in the Américas and the Caribbean, mainly around the intersections of performance, gender, ecology, and organizing. My work reflects on the power of making and crafting as a process of knowledge transmission, continuity, and place-keeping. Likewise, it explores movement, song, and dance as acts of refusal and assertions of sovereignty and self-determination. I hold an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from Tufts University in Boston, a Graduate Certificate in Cultural Management from Universidad del Rosario, and two bachelor\'s degrees from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.

Experience

1. Assistant Curator, Indigenous Art

   Risd Museum

   Jan 2025 — Present · Providence, RI, US

   Steward the Indigenous collection, comprised of 1,700 works from across the Américas, Africa, and the Pacific Islands- Support the Head Registrar on NAGPRA consultations and restitution of Native American cultural belongings- Teach and make the collection accessible to diverse audiences, including RISD and Brown faculty and students, scholars, and the general public- Work collaboratively with Museum staff to interpret the collection through exhibitions, installations, publications, and educational programs- Propose acquisitions to grow the collection by centering Indigenous contemporary artists and makers across the Américas and globally

Education

• Universidad de Los Andes

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Art History

  2011 — 2015

• Universidad de Los Andes

  Bachelor of Fine Arts - BFA

  2010 — 2015

• Universidad del Rosario

  Graduate Certificate in Cultural Management

  2017 — 2018

• Tufts University

  Master of Arts - MA, Art History and Museum Studies

  2021 — 2023