Paulina Velázquez Solís

Paulina Velázquez Solís is a multimedia artist and curator from Mexico and Costa Rica currently serving as a Visiting Critic in the Department of Art at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. Her practice spans installation, sound, sculpture, drawing, animation/video, and media performance, with a particular focus on the body and the biological/natural world in interaction with cultural and social notions of normalcy as a multinational individual.

Her research interests center on the intersection of digital media, sound art, installation, interdisciplinary art practices, performance, sculpture, and technology integration. Velázquez Solís explores the boundaries between traditional craft techniques like textile work and electronics, challenging gendered perceptions of these fields by merging 'feminine' textile crafts with 'masculine' electronic spaces. Her work often incorporates circuit bending, Arduino programming, and MAX/MSP to create interactive installations that respond to audience presence and environmental factors.

Her artistic output shows a consistent exploration of organic forms, sound ecology, and the integration of traditional craft with contemporary technology. The most recent works reveal an increasing sophistication in the integration of textile-based electronics, creating installations that transform spaces through responsive sound and visual elements. Her projects often address themes of environmental consciousness, cultural identity, and the decolonization of technological spaces.

• Artist in Community grant, Community Arts Partnership, New York State Council for the Arts, USA (2021)
• Winning artists, Bienarte 8, representing Costa Rica in the Central American Biennale 2012 in Panama (2011)
• Fulbright Scholarship for graduate studies in the United States (2008-2010)

Velázquez Solís has developed significant collaborative relationships, particularly with composer/sound artist Travis Johns, who is also her life partner. Their collaborative work explores the intersection of sound, visual art, and interactive technology. She has also been instrumental in developing community workshops on creative electronics in Costa Rica and the United States, despite facing gender-based resistance in some technical communities. Her current work in Ithaca, New York continues her exploration of bio-inspired electronic sound and organic forms in technological contexts.