Adriana Teresa Letorney is a media entrepreneur. She is the Founder & CEO of Visura.co, co-founder of VOICES FOR PUERTO RICO and Scout Film Festival.
Adriana is dedicated to the formation and implementation of economic development through art and cultural initiatives, with a focus on photography, online media, international festivals and tourism.
Info@fotovisura.com
adriana@visura.co
Long Bio
Adriana Teresa was born in 1978 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
While attending the School of Visual Arts, Adriana Teresa Letorney was a photo-intern at Harper’s Bazaar Magazine (2006), Bruce Silverstein Gallery (2006) and Rolling Stone Magazine (2007); as well as personal assistant to Sylvia Plachy, Suzanne Opton and Donna Ferrato, all whom had a profound influence in her life. Upon graduating, Adriana Teresa worked at The powerHouse Arena (2008), an experience which culminated in her first curatorial project titled Song of Myself—featuring photographs by Charles Harbutt, Joan Liftin, Sylvia Plachy, Suzanne Opton, Alex Webb, Rebecca Norris Webb, Jeff Jacobson, Lucille Fornasieri-Gold and Naho Kubota—a group show that presented individual visions of our collective existence.
The summer of 2008, Adriana Teresa produced and curated the Latin American Pavilion during the New York Photo Festival. This evolved into the The FotoVisura Pavilion (NYPH 2009, 2010, 2011) for which she was the Curator of numerous exhibitions that featured photographs by Luis González Palma (Guatemala), Giovanny Verdezoto (Ecuador), Raul Cañibano (Cuba), Alinka Echeverría (México), Pablo Delano (Puerto Rico), Frank Espada (Puerto Rico), Milagros de la Torre (Peru), amongst other Latin American photographers.
During 2008 fall and 2009 winter, Adriana Teresa collaborated with Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas on a project called The PR Flag and its identity, a visual reflection on the meaning of the Puerto Rican Flag in New York’s Puerto Rican communities. The project was part of a major exhibition in Parc La Villette Museum in Paris, France from April 7-July 6, 2009.
Soon after, she co-founded with her partner and husband Graham Letorney—FotoVisura Inc, a creative firm dedicated to photography publishing, production, design and online media. FotoVisura Inc. has produced Visura Magazine (2009), The FotoVisura Pavilion (2009), FotoVisura.com (2010), The FotoVisura Grant (2010), The FotoVisura Panel Discussions (2010), The FotoVisura Portfolio Consultation and Review (2011) and The Editing Sessions at the Visura Lodge (2012) in Stowe, Vermont.
In 2010, FotoVisura Inc co-produced the inaugural GuatePhoto Festival in Guatemala, during which Adriana Teresa was also the curator of two exhibitions: Enamored—a visual reflection about the force within women—featuring Lauren Greenfield, Larry Fink, Henry Horenstein, Edith Maybin, Andrea Bruce, Ruth Kaplan, Paz Errázuriz and Lana Slezic, and Fling featuring Jaime Permuth, Jodi Watkins, Joseph Rodríguez, Richard Mosse, Lissie Habie, Achim Lippoth, Liudmila & Nelson, Maria Martínez—Cañas, Jeff Jacobson & Marnie Andrews.
For the annual 2010 Lucie Awards, Adriana Teresa was the Curator of the IPA’s (International Photo Awards) Best of Show exhibition.
Since 2010, Adriana Teresa has contributed in writing and interviews to numerous publications, most notably, the New York Times Lens Blog and the Huffington Post. That year, after two years working with Sebastian Liste on his longterm project titled Urban Quilombo—she worked with Sebastian Liste on the final edit of the piece, which won several awards afterward. Additionally, she worked with Katie Olrinsky on her long term project on Mexico, including the series titled Innocence Assassinated.
In 2011, Honorable Charles B. Rangel of the New York State House of Representatives added Adriana Teresa most recent curatorial project, titled The DiaExhibition to the Congressional Records on Thursday May 12, 2011—in recognition of the impact it had in honoring the Puerto Rican photographers who documented their community in New York from 1960 to 1980. The Dia Exhibition was part of the 2011 FotoVisura Pavilion during the New York Photo Festival. The exhibition was featured in numerous publications, most notably, in the NY Daily News, El Diario/La Prensa and NY Times Lens Blog.
In 2011, she also co-founded The Envision Foundation for Photography and Digital Media, an international non-profit organization that empowers young people to become involved in, and contribute to, their communities and the world through photography and digital media.
In 2012, FotoVisura Inc produced The FotoVisura Pavilion in San Juan, Puerto Rico and launched the Workshops and Residency at the Visura Lodge in Stowe Vermont.
From 2013-2014—Adriana focused on her pregancy, giving birth to her son Gabriel Robert Letorney—and content & design Visura.co. During that year, she voluntarily worked with Donna Ferrato on the edit of her book, TriBeCa, 10013.
In 2015, Adriana Teresa launched a new platform titled, Visura.co—the professional networking platform for arts and media. The platform offers individual content producers a central place to brand, Network, Share your Info and Access Career opportunities.
Visura members have the ability to build a personal website, create a portfolio site with a blog featuring personal info and news—both interconnected to a database used by buyers worldwide to find the best new work and talent. The platform aims to reduce the amount of time and money individuals invest in having an online presence, connecting, sharing their information, and accessing career opportunity. The mission is to support individuals in furthering their work and career without breaking their bank. The revolutionary platform is an alternative modern solution to independent services and the agency model.
In 2016, Adriana became coproducer of the then inaugural Scout Film Festival, an annual event celebrating teen filmmakers worldwide. She serves on the Board of the non-profit organization.
Adriana Teresa has served as a judge, nominator or reviewer for numerous Institutions, Awards and Open Calls including the Prix Pictet award in photography and sustainability; amongst others like New York Photo Awards, The Fence, The Google Photography Prize, The New York Times Portfolio Reviews, The Center for Photography at Woodstock's Air Program, GuatePhoto Festival, Latin American Fotografía and Ilustración, the 33rd Annual Connecticut Photography Competition and Exhibition by The Shoreline Arts Alliance), Curate NYC, Lucie Foundation, Magenta Festival and Photolucida. She regularly speaks at Universities on efficient methods to prepare, connect with buyers and present your work in order to further your career and make a living in the arts and media.
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For more information on Visura.co, check out www.visura.co
C.V.
EDUCATION:
2004-2007, Completed a BA in Photography, School of Visual Arts, NYC
1996-2001, Completed BA in Anthropology, University of Puerto Rico, District of Rio Piedras
*stayed one extra year to complete a Thesis as part of Honors Program (independent to BA program)
EXPERIENCE:
*2003: Two day assistant, translator and driver for Amy Toensing while on assignment for National Geographic, Story on Puerto Rico
*2004: Continued Education Courses, International Center of Photography, NYC
*2004-2007: Completed Internships at Bruce Silverstein Photography Gallery, Harpers Bazaar Magazine, Grey Healthcare Advertising & Rolling Stone Magazine;
*2004-2007: Personal Assistant, at different times, to photographers Sylvia Plachy, Suzanne Opton, & Donna Ferrato
*2007: Associate of the powerHouse Arena, NY
*2007: Produced and curated Song of Myself Exhibition featuring the following photographers: Sylvia Plachy, Charles Harbutt, Joan Liftin, Rebecca Norris Webb, Suzanne Opton, Alex Webb, Naho Kubota, Lucille Fornasieri Gold, & Jeff Jacobson
*2007: Curated MELAO, MELAO: TUN, TÚN PA’ MI CAÑA – featuring Puerto Rican photographer Hector Méndez Caratini (PR)
*2008: New York Photo Festival: Curated Tierra de Mudos – featuring Puerto Rican artist Victor Vázquez
*2008: Co-founded FotoVisura Inc (www.fotovisura-inc.com)—the international self-publishing platform for photographers
*2009: Assisted and participated in a project about the Puerto Rican flag by photographer Susan Meiselas
*2009: Published Visura Magazine: Publisher, Editor, Creative Director, Writer & Photo Editor (www.visuramagazine.com)
*2009-2011: Launched the FotoVisura Latin American Pavilion during the New York Photo Festival – Two exhibitions, one of which I curated: Tu/Mi placer - featuring Luis González Palma.
*2009: Launched a photography program in Puerto Rico – through FotoVisura’s educational program, lamRGB.
*2009: Produced, Coordinated and Instructed a three week photography workshop with the assistance of Graham Letorney for the Niños de Nueva Esperanza project, culminating in an exhibition..
*2009-2013: Launched Visura Spotlight, an online platform committed to supporting students and emerging artists in photography, video and multi-media.
*2009: Produced and Curated the 'Walk Through Museum—History of Rums with images by Jack Delano'. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Public Exhibition in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (1 million viewers)
2010: co-Produced GuatePhoto & Curated several Exhibitions
2010-2013: Co-Founded The Envision Foundation for Photography and Digital Media with Jim Estrin, NYT
2012: Produced, Curated and launched The FotoVisura Pavilion as an International Photography Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2014: Curated Winter in America featuring Justin Maxon and Erin Trieb at the Third Floor Gallery in UK
2014: Curated a Group Exhibition at the powerhouse Brisbane Gallery in Australia
2015-present: Designed, Beta-tested, launched and work as CEO of Visura.co—the professional networking platform for arts and media
2016: co-produced and Board Member of SCOUT Film Festival, an annual even that celebrates teen filmmakers worldwide. THe event takes place in Stowe, Vermont.