Palén Obesa [Paloma Leida Natividad Obergh Santos] is a visual artist who works and lives in the Bronx, NY. Obesa was originally born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States at the age of fifteen. Palén Obesa is a painter by trade, she works with oil, acrylic, gouache and watercolor. She also learned multiple printmaking techniques thanks to her mentor, Pepe Coronado, and taught herself how to create digital work using programs like Paint Tool Sai, Manga Studio and Photoshop.

Through her practice, Obesa has been exploring multiple themes that can be controversial, ominous or too complex to discuss. By doing so, she hopes to open wider and less biased conversations about them. Some of these topics include womanhood and what does it mean to be a female, adultcentrism and its negative effects on children, and education through art for visual learners. By addressing patriotism and cultural identity, she also comments on the hybrid society of immigrants who are struggling with cultural assimilation, language acquisition and racism.

She received her BFA in painting and drawing, and minor in art history at SUNY Purchase College in 2017. Obesa’s work has been exhibited in multiple venues through New York, including the Bronx Library Center- where she hosted her first solo show,- the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, HACO NYC and Gitler_____& Gallery.

Space to Connect Programming

Obesa will be holding monthly art workshops for the residents of 535-539 E162nd St in Washington Heights.