Miami, FL (May 27, 2021) – Malaika Temba (2014 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts) is the 2021 recipient of National YoungArts Foundation’s Jorge M. Pérez Award. Temba was chosen for her artistic excellence and promise of future achievement by Jorge M. Pérez—a nationally recognized philanthropist, founder of The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation and Chairman of leading development firm, Related Group—alongside Patricia García-Vélez Hanna, Art Director for Related Group and El Espacio 23. Temba will receive an unrestricted prize of $25,000.
Jewel Malone, YoungArts Executive Director, said, “National YoungArts Foundation is deeply grateful to The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation for the continued and unwavering commitment to emerging artists such as Malaika Temba. We are thrilled to be able to provide this continued support to Malaika and look forward to supporting her process for years to come.”
“The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation is proud to support YoungArts in fostering a thriving cultural community by creating opportunities for the next generation of artists,” said Jorge M. Pérez. “This year’s grantee, Malaika Temba, has shown exceptional talent in her craft, and I look forward to following along as her creative journey continues to unfold.”
Malaika Temba is a textile artist based in New York. She is highly influenced by art at the intersection of visuals and sounds. Outside of her studio practice, Temba has held positions as a designer and Assistant Art Director at fashion company Pyer Moss, and as an Associate and Graphic Designer at The Shop at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. A 2014 YoungArts award winner and graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Temba has worked alongside contemporary artists including Jim Drain, Kenya (Robinson), and Anthony McCall. Her work has been on view during Miami Art Week, at the 2019 MET Gala, and on the runway at New York Fashion Week.
“I am so grateful to be honored with the Jorge M. Pérez Award. The award allows artists not only to make work, but to investigate, experiment, and push material and concept forward past any limitations. This award will change the way I can create, and will help me connect to a more global art world, specifically one that embraces the Global South,” said Malaika Temba. “Thanks to Jorge M. Pérez and YoungArts for believing in me and my work — I am immeasurably thankful for your support.”
Established in 2019, the Jorge M. Pérez Award, funded by The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, is an unrestricted granting program for emerging and mid-career artists who are YoungArts award winners. Past recipients include Ilana Harris-Babou, Mateo Nava, Kathia St. Hilaire and Chat Travieso.
ABOUT NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION
National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) was established in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison. YoungArts identifies the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary and performing arts, and provides them with creative and professional development opportunities throughout their careers. Entrance into this prestigious organization starts with a highly competitive application process for talented artists ages 15–18, or grades 10-12, in the United States, that is judged by esteemed discipline-specific panels of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process. All YoungArts award winners receive financial awards and the chance to learn from notable artists such as Debbie Allen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Frank Gehry, Wynton Marsalis, Salman Rushdie and Mickalene Thomas as well as past YoungArts award winners such as Daniel Arsham, Terence Blanchard, Camille A. Brown, Viola Davis, Allegra Goodman, Josh Groban, Judith Hill, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Andrew Rannells, Desmond Richardson and Hunter Schafer. The competition applications for 2022 open on June 22, 2021. For more information on how to apply, visit youngarts.org. YoungArts award winners are further eligible for exclusive opportunities including: nomination as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school seniors; a wide range of creative development support including fellowships and residencies and awards; professional development opportunities in partnership with major institutions nationwide; additional financial support; and access to YoungArts Post, a private, online portal for YoungArts artists to connect, share their work and discover new opportunities.
For more information, visit youngarts.org, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
ABOUT THE JORGE M. PEREZ FAMILY FOUNDATIONThe Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation fulfills the philanthropic vision of Jorge M. Pérez, chairman and CEO of Related Group, and his family to develop South Florida as an exemplary world-class urban center. The family foundation promotes sustainable, inclusive and just communities by supporting programs and organizations focused on arts and culture, health and well-being, education, environment and economic development – with a particular preference for programs and organizations that could serve as models for other urban centers. For more information, please visit www.jmperezfamilyfoundation.org.
