Dejá Aaliyah Belardo (she/they) is a curator and painter based in NYC, originally from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Currently, Belardo holds the position of Assistant Curator, Visual Art and Civic Programs at The Shed. Belardo’s goal as a curator is to support boundary pushing artists as they establish themselves in the art historical canon, especially those who have been historically marginalized.

Dejá's professional experience has included major arts institutions in New York City like the Whitney Museum of American Art, Pace Gallery and they also completed the Museum Professionals Seminar with The Studio Museum in Harlem. They have participated in jury panels for residencies, spoke in public program panels and have worked on independent projects with various emerging artists, galleries and non profits in the Caribbean and New York and across the U.S, as well as maintaining a studio practice of their own.

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Experience

• MFA Thesis Exhibition Curator - PRATT, NYC, 2024-2025

• Assistant Curator - The Shed, NYC, September 2023 - current

• Arts Leadership Praxis - Studio Museum in Harlem, January 2024 - August 2024

•  Curatorial Assistant - The Shed, NYC, August 2022 - September 2023

• Sales Assistant - Pace Gallery, NYC, November 2020 - August 2022

• Museum Professionals Seminar - Studio Museum in Harlem, October 2020 -January 2021

• Gallery Assistant - Whitney Museum of American Art, February 2017 - November 2020

• Art Teacher - Exploring Our Island Summer Camp, June -August 2017 - Christiansted, V.I

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Selected Bibliography

• https://www.blackenterprise.com/studio-museum-harlem-arts-leadership-praxis/

• https://www.artcurators.org/page/PublicEngagementCurationEmpoweringCommunities

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npli683dcMw

• https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/a-celebration-for-the-people-of-new-york-west-side-fest/

• https://www.studios-efanyc.org/visiting-professionals

• https://spo.princeton.edu/news/professor-nicola-cooneys-por-262-visits-brazilian-artist-maxwell-alexandre%E2%80%99s-exhibition-%E2%80%9Cpardo

Dejá is a multi-media painter and muralist whose work explores perception and subjectivity. Along with color theory, their artistic practice is shaped by the intersection of art and politics.

Media

• Showtime’s “The L Word: Generation Q” Season 2, Episode 6

  • 4 paintings featured

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Selected Group Exhibitions

2024

Art Hop, Aliado, November, Old San Juan, PR

2022

Wildflowers in the Concrete Jungle, Pace Gallery, August, New York, NY

Revolution is Not a One Time Act, Fort Frederik, June, Frederiksted, V.I

Expressions of Freedom, Cane Roots Art Gallery, June, Christiansted, V.I

Last Bodega in Brooklyn, March, Brooklyn, NY

Intersections, Art on the Ave NYC, December 2021-March 2022, New York, NY

2021

Atmospheres, Pace Gallery, July, New York, NY

Pride Thru Art, Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, June, Frederiksted, V.I

2019

Westside Exposure,  Westbeth Gallery, July, New York, NY

Pride Thru Art, Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, June, Frederiksted, V.I

2018

Westside Exposure,  Westbeth Gallery, July, New York, NY

Intersectional Wonder Woman, The Hof Garden, May, Richmond, VA

2017

Pride Thru Art,  Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, 2017, Frederiksted, V.I

Art Thursday, Maufe Gallery, May, Christiansted, V.I

2016

States of Existence,  Parse Gallery, June, New Orleans, LA

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Murals

• Anxiety 8 & 9 (When the music hits, you feel no pain)- Levels, June 2020- Christiansted, V.I

• Sunset in Paradise- Cloud 9 Ultra Lounge, July 2020- Christiansted, V.I

• Drag King- Queer Art Walls at Henrietta Hudson, September 2019- New York, NY

  • Tribute to Stonewall Veteran Storme Delarverie

• Blue Wall Project, February 2017- Frederiksted, V.I

  • Mural for the centennial transfer of the Virgin Islands to the U.S

• Crucian Christmas Festival Mural- Governor's Stand, December 2016- Frederiksted, V.I

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Selected Bibliography

• https://www.pacegallery.com/online-exhibitions/wildflowers-concrete-jungle/

• https://stthomassource.com/content/2022/06/22/expressions-of-freedom-opens-at-cane-roots-art-gallery-june-23/

• https://www.eastmidtown.org/intersections/

• https://www.pacegallery.com/exhibitions/atmospheres/

• https://www.cmcarts.org/copy-of-new-blood-4-the-rebirth

• https://studiomuseum.org/learn-engage/revolution-not-one-time-event

• https://arts.ufl.edu/in-the-loop/news/anti-racism-repository-amplifies-voices-and-promotes-collaboration/

• https://stjohntradewinds.com/artists-showcase-their-work-as-christiansteds-art-thursday-returns/

• https://milled.com/ilysm-studio-inc/a-blast-of-fun-stuff-for-you-1Ymh-2HxhGnvGAll

• https://aaqeastend.com/bulletins/whitney-georgia-okeefe-a-reflection-art-history-from-home-whitney-screens-artmaking/

• https://stcroixsource.com/2020/01/09/complex-h-s-art-and-drama-students-tour-nyc-plan-release-of-cultural-calendar/

• https://www.cmcarts.org/pride-thru-art19

• https://westbeth.org/wordpress/whitney-museum-staff-art-show/

• https://richmond.com/entertainment/art/intersectional-wonder-women-art-show-at-the-hof-in-scotts-addition-spotlights-power-of-women/article_9aa1bd8d-7f08-5946-8268-08fb9323b0bb.html

• https://rvamag.com/art/intersectional-wonder-women-art-show-aims-to-inspire-empower-tonight-at-the-hofgarden.html

• http://pelicanbomb.com/events/2016/6/3/opening-reception-states-of-existence

• https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_e6cf2a01-df49-5f30-a544-afd45eb3a26f.html