San Diego Art Prize 2026 Awarded too Three Local Artists, All Working Mothers
SAN DIEGO, CA – The San diego Art Prize has announced its 2026 winners: Tatiana Ortiz-Rubio, a multimedia artist; Mayra Alvarez, a painter; and Xenia Mateo, a sculptor. The three San Diego-based artists,all mothers,were selected for their distinct yet conceptually resonant work that challenges perceptions of reality and possibility. Their winning projects will culminate in a joint exhibition at the OMA (Ortega y Gasset) in September 2026.
This year’s selection highlights a significant trend in the local art scene - the rising prominence of artists balancing creative practice with the demands of motherhood. The award recognizes not only artistic merit but also the unique perspectives and resilience these artists bring to their work. The San Diego Art prize, established in[yearestablished-[yearestablished-[yearestablished-[yearestablished-details not provided in source], provides a $10,000 award to each artist and supports the growth of a collaborative exhibition.
Ortiz-Rubio’s work, frequently enough inspired by personal experiences, explores themes of displacement and memory. She described a recent inspiration stemming from a visceral sensation: “You feel your gonna land on this ocean of clouds; they feel almost thick. And then you cross through them and there’s this vertigo. And I remembered that feeling for some reason when I was in there – and that’s what I started drawing.” Alvarez’s paintings, and Mateo’s sculptures, similarly engage with complex ideas about identity and belonging.
Curator Lara Bullock, a member of the san Diego Art Prize team, noted a common thread running through the artists’ diverse practices. “A throughline that I noticed is an exploration of boundaries – thinking of the border region again,but hegemonic confines that come about through like city,country,lived experience and how that affects the people within,” Bullock said. “So I feel like the subject matter is really diverse, but there’s like an captivating connection that will make the exhibition really exciting when it opens next year.” The exhibition at OMA promises to be a compelling showcase of contemporary art,reflecting the dynamic cultural landscape of San Diego and the powerful voices of these three award-winning artists.
