Oscar Rene Cornejo

Oscar Rene Cornejo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art at Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. He is an artist, educator, and activist whose work bridges personal history, cultural memory, and political critique, particularly focusing on the Central American diaspora and post-conflict reconciliation. His artistic practice integrates fresco, sculpture, print media, and installation, often using construction materials as metaphors for displacement and resilience.

• Born in Houston, Texas
• Based between New York and western Massachusetts
• Faculty at Cornell University since recent appointment
• Teaching and artistic roles at Yale, Cooper Union, Hunter College, and Skowhegan

Cornejo earned his M.F.A. from the Yale School of Art and B.F.A. from The Cooper Union, and was a Fulbright Scholar in El Salvador. His interdisciplinary research explores citizenship, power, and historical forgetting, especially in relation to civil war and diaspora. He co-founded the Latin American Community Art Project and is a founding member of Junte Adjuntas in Puerto Rico, emphasizing community-based and collaborative art practices.

His recent artistic output reflects a deep engagement with materiality, memory, and political symbolism. Works such as To look at the sea is to become what one is and State of Exception explore themes of migration, border violence, and historical trauma through sculptural installations and modular prints. His exhibitions at institutions like the Queens Museum and Radiator Gallery demonstrate a consistent focus on social justice and historical reckoning.

Selected awards include the Watts Prize for Faculty Excellence (2023), Fulbright Fellowship (2007–08), and Schoelkopf Travel Prize. He has been supported by residencies at Skowhegan, LMCC Workspace, and Yvonne Residency in Guatemala.

• Watts Prize for Faculty Excellence (2023)
• Schoelkopf Travel Prize, Yale School of Art (2009–11)
• IIE Fulbright Fellowship, El Salvador (2007–08)
• Menschel Fellowship / Randolph Hearst Scholarship, The Cooper Union (2000–05)
• Balfour Minority Scholarship, RISD Pre-College (1998)

Cornejo’s teaching and community work reflect a strong commitment to pedagogy and intercultural dialogue. He has served as a museum educator at the Studio Museum of Harlem, program coordinator at Skowhegan, and educator through Fulbright. His grants and fellowships support both artistic creation and educational outreach. He is involved in initiatives that promote community art education and intercultural awareness, particularly through LA CAPacidad and Junte Adjuntas.

Cornejo’s artistic and academic work is centered around collaborative spaces and community-driven projects. He is actively involved with Junte Adjuntas in Puerto Rico and has directed artist residencies focused on intercultural exchange. His practice often blurs the boundaries between studio, classroom, and public space, emphasizing art as a form of collective healing and historical reclamation.