2019 Burke Prize Winner

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Indira Allegra (United States, b. 1980) makes sculptures, performances, texts, and installations investigating memorial practices and the unseen forces of generational trauma. Using the ideology and methodology of weaving, Allegra explores the intersections of forces, whether they be material, social, or emotional. She activates elements of looms and other weaving tools through movement and dance, using her body as the metaphorical thread to explore political and emotional tensions unspoken in society and carried within the body.

Allegra has been at the forefront of the performative craft movement, which has evolved out of the physical processes of craft. Select works from Allegra’s “BODYWARP” (2017) series were on view in MAD’s Burke Prize 2019 exhibition. These works demonstrate the artist’s thoughtful and intimate choreography between maker, tool, and place. Elevating the process of making, Allegra precipitates connections between the work, the audience, and larger social issues.

“It is tremendously encouraging that the Burke Prize has so generously recognized what my mind, intuition, and body can offer the field. I am honored,” said Allegra. “This generosity allows me to be more generous with the scale of my inquiry, work, and care for the constellation of art professionals with whom I will work throughout my career.”

Allegra holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with high distinction from California College of the Arts, where she studied visual studies, writing, and textile. She also earned an Associate of Applied Science in Sign Language Interpretation from Portland Community College and studied biology at Yale University. She has received the Artadia Award (2018), Tosa Studio Award (2018), MAP Fund Grant (2018), and Windgate Craft Fellowship (2016), among other accolades.