Marcela Villaseñor was born in Mexico City and trained there at the National School of Fine Arts before going to Paris on a University of Mexico scholarship. Later she received her MFA from San Diego State University, Her current work use digital and traditional photographic and print media to focus on ancient Mexican culture and its intersection with the identities of modern-day Mexicans in both Mexico and United States. At the core of much of her work is the image of her daughter a Mexican born, americanized young woman, which she juxtaposes with images from Mesoamerica. Villasenor has been the curator of Cultural Diffusion at the National University of Mexico and instructor of art at educational institutions in Mexico and California US.
Her exhibitions include the CREP gallery of Chatney Malabry, France; the Grand Palais Des Champs-Elysees, France; the House of UNESCO in Paris, France; the Casa de Lago UNAM in Mexico City; the Museum of Fine Arts in Toluca, Mexico; the National Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City; First International Exhibition of Japanese Paper, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan; San Diego State University, California, US; the Cannon Gallery Invitational, California US; Istanbul University Gallery in Maslak Turkey; Angel Orenzans Foundation, New York City, US; and Museum of Latino American Art, Los Angeles, California, US.
