Dana Donaty (b. Columbus, Ohio) American-Colombian raised in New Jersey. She received a BFA from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia, PA. After twelve years of living in London, England, Dana relocated to South Florida, where she lives and works. She is currently finishing her MFA at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York.

Donaty’s interdisciplinary practice is dedicated to advancing conversations about the longest running revolution; women’s equality. Her work examines women’s historical and contemporary societal experiences, exploring how these shape their identities and ultimately questioning the possibility of gender equality. With vibrant maximalist playground-like aesthetics and parodic humor, Donaty mirrors life's absurdities and exposes culture's dark side.

Similarly, in prior work, gigantic canvases depict larger-than-life human figures imposed on a playground of tiny fantastical creatures, speaking to the paradoxes of freedom and equality in an out-of-scale, absurd world.

Solo shows include The Coral Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs, FL; the Cornell Museum of Art, Delray, FL; South Florida Ford, Fordistas Gallery, Miami, FL; and the Paul Fisher Gallery, Palm Beach, FL.

Selected group shows include Hera Gallery, RI; The Camp Gallery, Miami, FL; MKAW Gallery, Destin, FL; Flatiron Gallery, New York, NY; the Armory Art Center in Palm Beach, FL; SVA Gramercy Gallery, New York, NY; the Palm Beach Cultural Council, Lake Worth, FL., The Arts Warehouse, Delray, FL; The Audrey Love Gallery, Miami, FL; The Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami, FL; The Art and Culture Center, Hollywood, FL; Locust Projects, Miami, FL; and The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA. Art fairs: American International Fine Art Fair, Palm Beach, FL; Scope, Miami, FL; Red Dot, Miami, FL; Art Palm Beach, Pam Beach, FL; and Art Boca Raton, Palm Beach, FL

Donaty’s projects include fifteen public art commissions, and her work is in private and public collections, including The Coral Springs Museum. Residencies: Arts Warehouse, Delray, FL; Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami, FL; Frozen Music, Jaipur, India; Kriti Gallery, Varanasi, India; South Florida Ford, Miami, FL

She has an artistic lineage that includes maternal family members, notably, her mother, her aunt-painter Esther Cárdenas, her cousin-painter Santiago Cárdenas, and her grandfather Eduardo Cárdenas, who was invited to emigrate to the United States as the first editor of Selecciones del Readers Digest [Spanish version of Readers Digest]

Artist Statement

My practice is focused on advancing conversations about the longest-running revolution: women's equality. 

The work explores the paradoxical nature of women's empowerment within the patriarchy. Vibrant colors, second-hand objects, and playground-like aesthetics invite viewers to engage with challenging topics about gender roles, privilege, and bodily autonomy. Through parodic humor and personal feminist gestures, I present uncomfortable realities, embracing any movement toward shifting gender norms, knowing that a shared laugh can foster a collective acknowledgment of difficult truths. Examining the historical and contemporary societal forces shaping women's experiences and identities in the 21st century raises critical questions about the possibility of achieving true gender equality in late-stage capitalism.