BIO

Juan William Chavez (born in Lima, Peru) is an artist and cultural activist whose studio practice focuses on the potential of space by developing creative initiatives that address community and cultural issues. He has exhibited at venues such as Art in General, Contemporary Art Museum Saint Louis, White Flag Projects and Van Abbenmuseum.

From 2006-2010, Chavez founded and served as director for Boots Contemporary Art Space, a non-profit organization that supported emerging artists and curators.

Since 2010, Chavez has focused on public projects in North St. Louis. Such projects include Urban Expression for the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, Brick Eaters and the Pruitt-Igoe Bee Sanctuary.

Most recently, Chavez founded the Northside Workshop, a community art center that focuses on incorporating socially engaged art programming with education and mentorship with the goal of fostering significant social progress in North St. Louis communities.

Chavez has a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Follow this link to visit the Pruitt-Igoe Bee Sanctuary website.

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