MIAMI, FLA.- Malaika Temba (2014 YoungArts Winner in Visual Arts) is the 2021 recipient of National YoungArts Foundation’s Jorge M. Pérez Award. Temba was chosen for her artistic excellence and promise of future achievement by Jorge M. Pérez—a nationally recognized philanthropist, founder of The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation and Chairman of leading development firm, Related Group—alongside Patricia García-Vélez Hanna, Art Director for Related Group and El Espacio 23. Temba will receive an unrestricted prize of $25,000.

Jewel Malone, YoungArts Executive Director, said, “National YoungArts Foundation is deeply grateful to The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation for the continued and unwavering commitment to emerging artists such as Malaika Temba. We are thrilled to be able to provide this continued support to Malaika and look forward to supporting her process for years to come.”

“The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation is proud to support YoungArts in fostering a thriving cultural community by creating opportunities for the next generation of artists,” said Jorge M. Pérez. “This year’s grantee, Malaika Temba, has shown exceptional talent in her craft, and I look forward to following along as her creative journey continues to unfold.”

Malaika Temba is a textile artist based in New York. She is highly influenced by art at the intersection of visuals and sounds. Outside of her studio practice, Temba has held positions as a designer and Assistant Art Director at fashion company Pyer Moss, and as an Associate and Graphic Designer at The Shop at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. A 2014 YoungArts award winner and graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Temba has worked alongside contemporary artists including Jim Drain, Kenya (Robinson), and Anthony McCall. Her work has been on view during Miami Art Week, at the 2019 MET Gala, and on the runway at New York Fashion Week.

"I am so grateful to be honored with the Jorge M. Pérez Award. The award allows artists not only to make work, but to investigate, experiment, and push material and concept forward past any limitations. This award will change the way I can create, and will help me connect to a more global art world, specifically one that embraces the Global South,” said Malaika Temba. “Thanks to Jorge M. Pérez and YoungArts for believing in me and my work — I am immeasurably thankful for your support."

Established in 2019, the Jorge M. Pérez Award, funded by The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, is an unrestricted granting program for emerging and mid-career artists who are YoungArts award winners. Past recipients include Ilana Harris-Babou, Mateo Nava, Kathia St. Hilaire and Chat Travieso.