My name is Eilen Itzel Mena and I am an Afro-Dominican American artist and writer from the South Bronx currently based in London, UK. In 2017 I was awarded a BA in Fine Art from the USC Roski School of Art and Design. In June 2024 I received my MFA in Painting from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art. I have shown my work internationally and have also received various artist grants and awards for my practice. My visual arts practice is deeply rooted in documenting a femme afro-diasporic intersectional experience. I focus on depicting growth and transformation through an understanding of community, ancestry, purpose and the connection between the child self and the adult self. I am interested in investigating the way that folks in the African Diaspora are in pursuit of joy as well as their personal and communal purpose through using a variety of materials. I use painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation and performance as tools for the pursuit of joy.