Massiel Dorado Peñaranda Bolivian Artist
Cultura Events frequently explores to find unique cultural experiences to share with our audience, but when the culture comes to us, we take full advantage of it. We had the honor of Massiel Dorado Peñaranda coming to D.C. to showcase her artwork, her passion for Bolivian dancing, and why the world needs to learn the secrets of multiculturalism from her home country.
Massiel Dorado Peñaranda, also known as Luna, was born in the city of La Paz, Bolivia. Since she was little, she had the opportunity to participate in various exhibitions and competitions. She studied at University for a career in Plastic Arts, or art of synthetic materials, which allowed her to present paintings in various group exhibitions such as the famous "Annual Hall of the UMSA Arts Career" and participate in the "Eduardo Abaroa Award" and "Pedro Domingo Murillo" contests.
Within Plastic Arts, she specializes in various branches of art, such as sculpture, ceramics, engraving with different painting techniques.
"Art is a gift, a gift from God that he put in me, I always say it like that, because since I can remember there was nothing else that I liked to do other than paint, draw, sing, and dance. Art is my world and I do not have memory for other things that made me so happy. I come from a family of artists with diverse talents. Thank God", Masiel said.
Since 2010, she has been able to hold several individual exhibitions in various places, as well as make the sculpture "Bartolina Sisa" in the main courtyard of the General Staff of the Bolivian Armed Forces.
Among her latest exhibitions in August 2016, for the celebration of her homeland Bolivia, her painting, made in oil and dry pastels, watercolor, ink and other mixed paints sits in the art showroom of the Organization of American States - OAS, in Washington D.C. with the works of the collection "Between Tullmas and Something Else II". Another exhibition was installed at the Bolivian Embassy in Washington D.C., on Passport Day in May 2017. A recent trip to Toronto, Canada was a successful exhibition of her mobile mural of "La Puerta del Sol" at the National Museum of Toronto. This mobile mural was displayed in various rooms and events throughout Toronto until the beginning of 2018 and finally returned to Bolivia for its next round of exhibitions. Massiel loves promoting and sharing the culture and art of Bolivia, she was also honored to participate in the first meeting of the National Women Artists at the House of Culture in La Paz, Bolivia, the Ibero-American Capital of Cultures.
Being from a family of artists, Massiel naturally expresses her art in other forms as well. She enjoys participating in national and international dances with the Ameridanz Ballet in various locations within and outside Bolivia. A couple of notable locations include theaters such as Modesta Sanjinés De la Casa de la Cultura La Paz and Alberto Saavedra Perez Municipal where they always display the shield and flag of our beautiful Bolivia high in the air. When Massiel is not painting or dancing, she may find her advocating for the awareness of Bolivian arts as part of "Fraternidad Morenada Bolivia USA" in the United States of America. Her efforts also earned her the title of "Bolivian Ambassador 2019" by Fiesta Boliviana and The Bolivian American Heritage Foundation. More currently Massiel was the choreographer and dancer of the well-known and renowned Bolivian singer and actor Milton Cortez, in his last concert in the United States of America in September 2021.
Massiel said, "God surprises us daily and certainly he was the one who opened the doors of these wonderful new opportunities to show my Art and Folklore. I feel very fortunate and happy to be able to reach many places and people of different cultures with my talent so that they can know and enjoy my country Bolivia, through my expression in Art."
Enjoy the full interview with Massiel Dorado here...
Massiel Dorado
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Photos credit: Nándor Nagy Instagram: nandor_nagy