bIO


Michelle Solorzano is a figurative ceramic sculptor whose work explores themes of immigration, identity, and culture. Her practice is rooted in the complexities of bicultural identity and the layered legacies of colonization, drawing inspiration from her Dominican heritage, shaped by Taíno, African, and Spanish influences.

Solorzano holds a BFA in Painting and Ceramics from the State University of New York at Potsdam and an MFA in Ceramics from Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design.

Based in California, Solorzano was a 2024-2025 long-term Artist in Residence at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) and is currently an Artist in Residence at Laguna Clay Company. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Ceramics at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Her work has received national recognition, including being named a 2025 NCECA Emerging Artist and recipient of the Helen Zucker Seeman Writing and Research Fellowship for Women. She was also selected as a 2024 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist and has received the Bloomington Arts Commission Emerging Artist Grant, the Christyl Ann Boger Memorial Award, and the Nelda Christ Memorial Award.

aRTIST sTATEMENT

My work is a personal exploration of my cultural identity, influenced by the complex interplay of colonization, immigration, and assimilation. The Dominican Carnaval, with its deep historical roots, serves as a focal point in this exploration, highlighting the lasting impact of colonization on contemporary society.

Beyond the vibrancy of theatrical performances, characters like The Devil in all its iterations, and the aesthetic of the Carnaval that embraces bright colors, repetition, and maximalist adornment, what captivates me most is the temporary dismantling of social hierarchies within this cultural celebration. Through extensive research, I rediscover the historical and cultural significance of these elements. My own persona, portrayed through self-portraits, becomes a means to document and retell aspects of the Dominican Republic's cultural and political history, often misrepresented through the lens of colonized minds.

Through surreal narratives, my work aims to bring awareness to challenges I've encountered, encompassing the language barrier, prejudice, and the process of cultural and social assimilation. Concepts of duality and biculturalism reflect the constant oscillation between not feeling entirely American nor Dominican, yet simultaneously embodying aspects of both. I frequently ponder the significance of my presence in each culture, reflecting on the merits and losses incurred by actively engaging in both. While sometimes wrestling with questions of identity and belonging I am actively embedding myself within the narrative with the aim of establishing a personal connection with my audience and humanizing the immigrant experience.

I view the creation of these sculptures as an internal struggle, a continuous effort to preserve my culture. By transforming memories of everyday objects and places from my homeland into tangible forms, I preserve them both in my mind and in my surroundings.