Joana Toro, a self-taught Colombian photographer currently residing in New York City and Bogotá, exploring issues, of immigration, human rights, and identity. Her work has been featured from publications such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Open Society Foundations.
In 2019, Joana published her inaugural book, "Hello, I Am Kitty" Tragaluz, Colombia, 2019 , and exhibited at the Gabriel Garcia Marquez journalism festival in Medellin, Colombia. Notably, an edition of prints from this collection was acquired by the Library of Congress in the United States in 2020.
Joana's photographic series have found a place in international photo festivals, including Les Femmes s'exposent in France, GuatePhoto in Guatemala, Just Another Festival in India, and the International Photography Festival in China.
Joana received the Eyewitness Photojournalism Grant from The Pulitzer Center and Diversify Photo in 2020, along with a grant from the National Geographic COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
In 2023, her work "Hello, I Am Kitty" was featured in a solo exhibition in Miami at the cultural center in Pompano. Simultaneously, her Translatina series was exhibit at a Photography Triennial hosted by the Museum of the City of New York.
Books
Books
Hello, I am Kitty (Tragaluz Editores, Medellín, 2019)
Masked (oodee, London, 2014)
Solo Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2023 “Hello I am kitty” Pompano Beach cultural center Miami.
2022 “Hello I am kitty” Ojo Rojo fabrica Visual Bogota, Colombia.
2021 “TransLatinas against Covid-19” Queens Museum, and Photoville at Travels park Queens,New York City.
2019 “ Serie Colombia On My Mind" Abbaye Aux Dames Caen ,France exhibit at Forum Mondial Normandie pour la Paix 75 anniversary.
2019 “Hello, I am Kitty”, Exhibition, Jardín Botánico de Medellin Festival Gabo, Fundacion Iberoamericana de Periodismo Gabriel Garcia Marquez Colombia.
2019 “Hello, I am Kitty” Casa Tragaluz, Medellin, Colombia
Selected Group Exhibitions
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 New York Now: Home - A Photography Triennial Museum of the City of New York.
2023 Exhibition on migration "looking at the edge" at the Gabriel García Márquez cultural center, Debora Arango room, Bogota, Colombia.
2022 Hello I am Kitty Galeria la Cometa Bogota Colombia.
2021 Eyewitness: Who Tells The Stories Of Our Time in Brooklyn New York by the pulitzer center, Diversify Photo and Photoville.
2021 Enfoco: Deep Roots at the Children’s Art carnival in Harlem New York.
2019 Les Femmes S’exposent, Houlgate, France.
2019 NoMAA (Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance) Women in the Heights - “Creating for Change: New York.
2018 Contemporary stories of Latina Photographers, group exhibition Paseo de las Artes, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Mexico.
2018 Nothing Left to be saved group exhibition at Instytut Fotografii Fort Warsaw Poland.
2018 Fuerza Fest Queer Latino festival Julia de Burgos theater, New York.
2017 “Masked” nee-bex contemporary art gallery, Bogota.
2016 “I Am Hello Kitty” International Photography festival, Pingyao China.
2015 “I Am Hello Kitty” projection, Photoville photo festival, New York.
2015 “I Am Hello Kitty”, GuatePhoto photography festival, Guatemala.
2015 “I Am Hello Kitty,” Bronx Documentary Center, Bronx, New York.
Awards, Grants and Honors
Awards, Grants and Honors
2023 Hello I am kitty winner in the photo book category of the Ibero-American POY Latam contest.
2021-22 Visiting Scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Center (WSRC) at Brandeis University.
2021 Winner of the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund and Ad Council NYC a publicity campaign.
2020 National Geographic Covid-19 Emergency Grant.
2020 Eyewitness Photojournalism Grant by The Pulitzer Center and Diversify Photo.
2020 The Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division acquires Hello I am Kitty photo series for permanent collection.
2019 Invitation to Les Femmes S’exposent photo festival Houlgate, France.
2019 Invitation Fundación Gabo festival, Medellin Colombia. 2019 Nomination to Joop Swart Masterclass Word Press Photo.
2017 Anderson Ranch Scholarship awarded Visual Storytelling & Documentary Photography by Ed Kashi, and James Estrin.
2017 Scholarship awarded Native Agency Festival de Fotografia documental Quito- Ecuador.
2016 Scholarship awarded Mary Clerk Scholarship to the 68th annual Missouri Photo Workshop.
2015 Scholarship awarded Fotovisura.
2015 En Foco Fellowship Awards #18.
2014 New York Times Portfolio Review.
2013 Roberto Villagraz Grant, finalist.
2012 AI -AP, Latin American Photography Collection.
2010 FNPI - CEMEX photography contest, finalist