Eilen Itzel Mena (b. 1994)  is an Afro-Dominican American artist and writer from the South Bronx, NY. In 2017, she graduated from the USC Roski School of Art & Design in Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. In 2024, she graduated with an MFA in Painting from the UCL Slade School of Fine Arts in London. She has shown work internationally, participated in numerous artist residencies, and has received grants and awards for her practice (most recently the Adrian Carruthers Studio Prize for her Slade MFA Degree Show presentation). In 2025 she was an artist-in-residence at ACME’s early careers program in London, UK. In the Fall of 2026 she will participate in the Fountainhead Artist Residency in Miami, FL.

 

Her practice explores how individuals within the African Diaspora and Latin America seek joy and purpose, while reflecting on themes of community, ancestry, and colonial history. ​In her social practice, she serves as a creative collaborator for Honey and Smoke, a global artist community and platform focused on creating space for artists to meditate on the important themes of our time. H&S explores these themes through spearheading creative inquiry, education, interactive experiences, and digital content.