About Maria

Maria Servellón is an award-winning filmmaker, multimedia artist, educator, and arts advocate from Boston, MA. Her expertise spans across various mediums, including film, media art, projection, installation, photography, and design. Maria's work explores the synesthetic connections between art, music, and dance as they contribute to the formation of a self-identity.

Maria has garnered recognition through numerous screenings and exhibitions across Massachusetts, New York, California, Oregon, the UK, and Mexico. Among her notable works are the magic-realist short film, "Hyphen" (2018), the projection design for the Company One/American Repertory Theater play "Black Super Hero Magic Mama" (2022), and the immersive installation "Hibiskiss" (2022), showcasing the breadth of her creative work.

Maria's contributions to the arts earned her being named one of 2018's "Latinos 30 Under 30" by El Mundo Boston and a finalist for the 2019 New England Film Star Award. In 2020, she was honored as a "Latina Leader" by Amplify Latinx and an "Outstanding Young Leader" by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. She has been awarded grants, fellowships, and residencies from the Boston Mayor's Office Of Arts & Culture, Boston Arts & Business Council, Boston Public Schools, Boston Dance Theater, Danza Orgánica, Collective Futures, and Mass MoCA. Maria received her BA from UMass Boston, an MFA from Emerson College, and has taught at Emerson College, UMass Boston, and Northeastern University.

Artist Statement

I am a visual explorer and storyteller who uses film, media art, design, music, and dance to express truths and possibilities. I utilize experimental and narrative approaches to create authentic stories and immersive experiences. Through my work, I attempt to satisfy my curiosity about the world and understand my relationship with it.

My artwork is a conscious and intuitive exploration of intersectional identity in utilizing magic realism. In using abstract and archival visuals, I pay a color-rich homage to the fluidity of culture, gender, history, memories, and dreams.

My art-making odyssey aims to continue transcending pre-established norms that exist in both the physical and digital spheres. These realizations solidify the bridge of mutual connection between myself and the audience.

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”…Servellon’s serenely captivating short film, Hyphen…” - Filmotomy.com

”In addition to showcasing a stylistically diverse selection of artworks, Bradbury made a point to include a mix of well-known, experienced makers such as Maria Servellón”
"The shifting groove and mood of Servellón’s ‘between u & i & them, with its trippy, sometimes ominous vibe…” - Boston Art Review

”Maria’s work gives a feeling of colors floating through space, with layers of translucency and opacity. Glimpses of semi-abstract images embedded in her graphic work show a mysterious, dream-like tone to her collections.”
”Maria explores human form, beauty and abstraction” - A Far Cry

”[Cagen] Luse’s truly exceptional work is abetted by projection designer Maria Servellón” - Boston Globe

”Working within the realm of glitch art, Servellón is deeply drawn by both the philosophical and aesthetic aspects of the glitch, a technical malfunction or human error. Subverting our traditional perception of these errors, the artist embraces the “happy mistakes” through the exhibition and seeks to illuminate an alternative experience that is also authentic to our daily lives.”
”Concertedly, Servellón’s artistic intervention repositions viewers to approach the reality from a different perspective, one that finds serendipitous qualities within errors.” - Harvard Square

”[Company One’s] design team brought its A game… especially Maria Servellon (projections).” - Boston Globe

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Awards, Honors, Grants, Fellowships, & Residencies
2024 The Interrobangers, Outstanding Scenic Design, Outstanding Production Nomination, Elliot Norton Awards
2023 Sustaining Practice Grant, Collective Futures/Tufts University, Boston, MA
2023 Black Super Hero Magic Mama, Outstanding Production Nomination, Elliot Norton Awards
2022 Surge East Boston Coastal Communities Artist Fellowship, Boston Dance Theater, Boston, MA
2022 We Create! Festival Fellowship, Danza Orgánica, Boston, MA
2021 Featured Small Business, AIGA Boston, Boston, MA
2021 Sponsorship Program 2.0, Sponsee, NAAC ArtsBoston, Boston, MA
2021 Artist of the Month, Greater Boston Artist Collective, Boston, MA
2021 Out of the Silhouette, Under The Same Flag Show, 2nd Place, Project B Gallery at The Mill Contemporary
2020 Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Honoree, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Boston, MA
2020 Latina Leader Award Honoree, Amplify Latinx, Boston, MA
2020 Assets for Artists Grant, MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA
2020 Creative Entrepreneur Fellowship, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Boston, MA
2020 Digital Media Capstone Teaching Residency, Boston Public Schools/EdVestors, Boston, MA
2019 Hyphen, Best Drama Finalist, Official Latino Film and Art Festival, Palm Desert, CA
2019 Hyphen, Best Coming of Age Film Finalist, Oaxaca Filmfest, Oaxaca, Mexico
2019 New England Film Star Award Finalist, NewEnglandFilm.com, Boston, MA
2019 Hyphen, Best Music Award, Femme Filmmakers Fest, Online, CA
2018 Boston Latino 30 Under 30 Award Honoree, El Mundo Boston, Boston, MA
2018 Boston Artist Opportunity Fund, Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, Boston, MA
2016 Summit Scholar, Forbes Under 30, Boston, MA
2015-2018 MFA Half-Tuition Fellowship, Emerson College, Boston, MA
2014 Pasillos Pintados Artist Residency, Hurley K-8 School, Boston, MA