Esteban Cabeza de Baca

Esteban Cabeza de Baca is a Lecturer in Painting and Drawing at the School of Art+Design at Purchase College. He holds an MFA from Columbia University (2014) and a BFA from The Cooper Union (2010). His practice bridges painting, sculpture, installation, and ecological engagement, rooted in his Mexican and Native ancestry.

• Education: MFA, Columbia University (2014); BFA, The Cooper Union (2010)

His research explores the intersection of Indigenous cosmology, Chicano identity, and environmental resilience. He employs materials like cochineal dye and New Mexico earth, blending historical narratives with contemporary issues of colonization, migration, and sustainability. His work reimagines pre-Columbian trade routes and challenges Western notions of space-time through layered landscapes and sculptures.

Scientific Awards include the 2024 Civitella Ranieri Residency, 2021 NYFA Painting Fellowship, and fellowships from Rijksakademie (2017-2018) and Mayer Foundation (2016). His recent publications focus on ecological art, decolonial practices, and collaborative projects with Heidi Howard. He is featured in public collections like Harvard University and Phoenix Art Museum.

• 2024: Parker Gallery, Los Angeles; Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
• 2023: Garth Greenan Gallery, New York; Light from Water (Wave Hill)