Ana Mendieta's Biography
Ana Mendieta (1948-1985) was a Cuban-American performance artist and sculptor. Mendieta is best known for her site-specific works that often combined natural materials with symbolic forms, such as female silhouettes. She was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States with her family when she was 12. Mendieta studied at the University of Iowa and graduated with her Master of Fine Arts in 1978. Mendieta’s work is often seen as a commentary on displacement, exile, and identity. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Tate Modern in London, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. In 1985, Mendieta tragically died in a fall from the 34th floor of her apartment in New York City.