Friday, October 27, 2017

Looking There, From Here



I've been trying to come up with a way to write about this, but couldn't quite find the words. Being that this blog is about art, artists, the Puerto Rican diaspora - and my experience within the intersection of all of that - I feel it's only right for me to write an entry about what Puerto Rico is going through right now. I am referring to the devastation left by Hurricane Maria on the island, and the relief efforts.

I live in NYC, which obviously has a huge Puerto Rican presence, so from my perspective, I have seen an incredible effort on the part of people here - grassroots, union, community and artistic groups - coming together, doing fundraisers, collecting (and sometimes personally delivering) donations, and so on. However according to what I see in the news, the Administration's response has been deathly insufficient, leaving so many Puerto Ricans (still) in a state of emergency; without sufficient food, clean water, power or medical care. From what I've read in the news, the corporate opportunists and hedge fund vultures are circling overhead, scoping out their next Puerto Rican windfall (in an economy that was already in dire straights). From what I've read, a lot of stateside Americans do not know what Puerto Rico is, or that Puerto Ricans are Americans at all. On the upside (if you can call it that), so much about Puerto Rico of what was rarely talked about in the mainstream, has been the topic of much discussion and debate; such as the Jones Act and the fact that Puerto Rico is a US "commonwealth" in name, but a colony in practice. I imagine that in the months and years to come, there will be much restructuring and repositioning, for better or for worse.

When Maria hit, I felt a complicated mix of fear, worry and sadness for a land I have never lived on, but have always felt a part  of; or rather that it was a part of me. The land where my father was born and where he and our family farmed, lived and grew. A land whose culture I've learned primarily by way of New York City and Nuyoricans. When Maria hit, it was a few weeks before my birthday and I thought I would ask my friends who might have bought me gifts, to instead donate money to a worthy relief fund. I was lucky enough to quickly find that an organization, Defend Puerto Rico, had already started a fundraiser (because there was another hurricane, Irma, that had hit the island a couple of weeks prior). Little did they know that this fundraiser would end up also being for the second, harder hit of Maria, and that their efforts would have to become so grand. I've noticed a number of other people, groups and organizations that I know have also decided to donate funds to Defend Puerto Rico, so I feel good about the concentration of collective trust, good intentions, work and energy being directed here.

As I mentioned, in NYC there have been and continue to be many fundraising efforts (going to varios organizations), including many creative events; proving that music and art (and nightlife!) can make a difference. Some examples are Defend Puerto Rico's bomba party and art auction; A Party Called Rosie Perez with Casitas Wisdom at the Highline; Helping Hands for Puerto Rico house music dance party at Output; Arte for Puerto Rico Fundraiser at EL Museo del Barrio; AbrazARTE benefit with the Loisaida Center and Teatro LaTEA; Salsa Meets Jazz for Puerto Rico at Le Poisson Rouge; and the most plainly named, Sh*t's Fu*ked Up: Send Help art auction by the Con Artist Collective. These are all examples of creative grassroots organizing that makes a big impact - artivism, if you will. Of course, there are the major organizations contributing towards relief efforts too, and not to mention the various celebrities who have lent their time and talents toward helping raise funds - such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, J Lo & Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Fat Joe, Jay Z, and Bethany Frankel (yes, even a RHONY!). Every little bit helps.

Thankfully, there are many more fundraisers popping up every day. And there are lots more people, like myself, wondering how we can help the island from afar. One great resource I have found is the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. They have an e-newsletter called Centro Voices as well as a special newsletter to specifically address recovery efforts, Rebuild Puerto Rico . They have been hosting events, like the upcoming symposium, "Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans" to address the complicated questions arising.

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In pictures: Hurricane Maria pummels Puerto Rico

From CNN.com 
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From CCCADI newsletter

We give a heartfelt acknowledgement to Defend PR, “a multimedia project designed to document and celebrate Puerto Rican creativity, resilience, and resistance,” for organizing our community around the Puerto Rican debt crisis and raising funds around Hurricane Relief. DefendPR has been working tirelessly from the diaspora and on the ground to ensure Puerto Rico is rebuilt by and for its people. They are a true example of the power of art and culture to transform society. Contribute to their Hurricane Relief Fund by clicking here.



Monday, July 24, 2017

My Experience at the Openings Art Residency in Lake George


Inspired by a could-cluster, Lake George, NY


I am writing this blog post while riding a train. I just boarded (the train was almost two hours late – thanks Amtrak!) and now I have about four hours to kill on my way back home to New York City. I spent the last six days upstate in Lake George at the Openings Art Residency at St. Mary’s on the Lake. Might as well write a blog post about it!  

Over the last year or two, I’ve been working on a lot of art-related projects, however, mostly in a scholarly/theoretical, organizing and/or behind-the-scenes type of way. Even though I’ve continued to paint and show work occasionally, I had not been spending a whole lot of time working on my own art. I started to realize that my own art practice was falling by the wayside so I began thinking about applying to art residencies where I could go to specifically to focus on my art and contemplate what I want to say as a visual artist. Like a Godsend, I came across information for the Openings Art Residency on Facebook; someone (I don’t know) in some group I’m acquainted with posed about it and I started clicking the links to read more. The website explained that Openings is, “an interdisciplinary artists’ collective that values collaboration, creativity and camaraderie.” Run by the Paulist Fathers, this once-yearly program invites artists up to their 72 acre historical lakefront summer house: St. Mary’s on the Lake. Their mission statement says: “Openings believes that the connections between creativity and transcendence foster critical conversations that have the potential to unite individuals across cultural divides.” I felt inspired to apply to Openings and shortly thereafter I was happy to get word that I had been accepted.

Flash forward a couple of months: I went ahead and cleared my schedule, packed my bags and some art supplies and went up to Lake George. I had an idea that it would be nice, but once there, I was really impressed at how beautiful it is. To be tucked away in a mountainside, situated directly on the massive, tranquil Lake George, staying in cozy student’s quarters was truly a treat for this world-weary New Yorker. Father Frank Sabatte, who runs the program, welcomed me, along with the other nine artists participating in this year’s residency. I soon found out that most of them had actually participated in years past (some of them many times) and are a part of the Openings Art Collective, which does exhibitions and projects in the City, on-going.

The residency is only six days (five nights) total and it’s totally designed for artists to do their own thing. We were allowed to wander pretty much anywhere on the property and make whatever kind of art we do – and/or we could swim in the lake, hike or just relax. The only expectation, so to speak, was that we show up to meals (yes – they provide breakfast, lunch and dinner!) on time, so that we can casually talk with each other about art, or anything else. The food was delicious and abundant, by the way. On the last day, we would be expected to do a sort-of show-and-tell about what we did through the week.

As for me, I normally paint in oils and obviously, that doesn’t travel well. So, I decided to bring up acrylic paints, small canvases, a sketch book and colored pencils – not really my forte but I was willing to try. I didn’t really have a game-plan for what I would make while at Openings, but rather I thought it would be a good opportunity to experiment and explore. Being that I had never been there before, my first challenge was to find a place where I would feel comfortable and inspired to make art. My first morning there, after a hearty breakfast, I packed up a bag of art supplies, grabbed an easel and went walking into the woods. I managed to find myself a perfect spot overlooking the lake. There was no one but me and the mosquitoes. Being that I didn’t have a game-plan, I decided to grab my sketchbook and pencils and suddenly I was inspired to draw the Yoruba goddess, Oshun, standing in that spot, overlooking the lake. I didn’t have any reference images of Oshun with me, so I drew her from my imagination. I drew for about two hours straight before I realized how much time had passed. I went back to the same spot the next day and completed the drawing. Doing a drawing of Oshun made sense to me since she rules the rivers and lakes. Plus, I had been thinking about making a painting about her for my Sogni D’Oro (Sweet Dreams) series (so perhaps I will turn this drawing into a painting sometime soon).

Now that I had established my spot and completed one drawing, I felt compelled to try to start on a painting. I happen to love trees and have painted a fair amount in the past. So, I decided to take advantage of the fact that I was standing there with a bunch in real life, and started to paint. Between the fact that I had no plan and am not used to painting with acrylic, making this little tree painting proved itself painstaking (lots of problem-solving). However, I stuck with it, and after two hours there, and another two hours in my room, I finished it. Oddly enough, the scene looks kind of tropical, but I’m fine with that.

On our third night, one of the Fathers kindly offered to take us out for a sunset ride on a pontoon boat. I didn’t bring my iPhone with me (it was out of battery) so I couldn’t take photos. At first, I was disappointed since the view was gorgeous – but then I felt happy to be truly present, no technology mediating the experience for me. Floating down the lake, watching the sunset behind the mountains was otherworldly. And then we saw this spectacular cloud cluster! I thought that I would love to paint that scene, and then I regretted not having my camera with me. Luckily, later that evening, one of my fellow artists, emailed me some photos she took of that cloud cluster! So, the next day, I trekked back to my spot, and I started painting the clouds.  

By the time Thursday rolled around, we were nearing the end of our residency. Thursday night we were expected to do our little show-and-tell. Up until then, I had not shown anyone what I was working on, so I was a little nervous. Father Frank (who is an artist himself) started things off by showing something he’s been working on, then the rest of us showed our pieces one by one. There were also a few other Fathers there, who were interested in seeing what we had been working on and join in the discussion. It was nice for me to see the other artists’ work, hear them talk about why and how they did it and what they plan on doing with it. The discussion afterwards with everyone was thought-provoking and inspiring. In the end, I told Father Frank that I was amazed at how (even in such a short time) I felt that I had been impacted upon by the landscape and atmosphere – he agreed and added that the artists’ interactions also influence one another. I agreed.

As I sit on this train (almost home now!) and think about it, I am happy that I had the opportunity to attend Openings. I went into it feeling like I needed a break from busyness, time to clear my head and just focus on my artwork – and I feel like that mission was accomplished. There were some deeper questions that I was asking myself in terms of what I want my work to say at this juncture, and while I don’t think that I have completely answered that, I do feel as if I have begun to.


A panoramic pic from the boathouse at St. Mary's on the Lake.


Me,  arriving at St. Mary's on the Lake.

First evening of the Openings residency - artists are arriving, some sitting, watching the sunset.

A pic of the student house.

Monday morning I went in to the woods and found my inspirational spot.


One of my fellow artists, Oksana Prokopenko, got a shot of me painting in my spot.

My drawing of Oshun on the lake.

A meme that reminded me of this art-making experience; quote by my favorite astrologer, Chani Nicholas.


The boathouse.

Me, sitting on the dock, looking out onto the lake, as the Minne Ha Ha boat cruises by.

Drone-perspective group photo of the 2017 Openings artists, by photographer Margeaux Walter.

Group photo of the 2017 Openings artists.

Maia Nero working on her painting out on the dock.


Working on a tree painting; started out in the woods, finished in my dorm room.

Tree painting finished.

Me out on a pontoon cruise, photo by Maria Maxime.

The inspiring sunset cloud-cluster over Lake George.  Photo by  Maria Maxime.

Working on a cloud-cluster painting, out in the woods.

Show-and-tell night: Father Frank Sabatte showing us his work-in-progress.


Maria showing us her collaboration with Oksana Prokopenko.

Anthony Santella showing us his two works-in-progress.

Michael London Berube showing us one of his drawings.

Eric Jiaju Lee showing us one of his paintings, off of the stretcher.

Maia showing us one of her paintings.

Oksana talking about the collaboration with Maria.

Oksana showing us her flying fish piece.

Margeaux showing us some of her photographs. 

Amy Hill showing us a sketch she was working on for her next painting.

Fireworks over the lake on Thursday night.

Fireworks over the lake on Thursday night.

One last dip in the lake, and kayak ride on Friday morning.

Amy walking up the path.

Michael, Goober and Tigger coming up the path.

One last dip in the lake, and kayak ride on Friday morning.



To see more photos, check out my Instagram: @WhippedHoney










Tuesday, April 25, 2017

My Work in Debtfair at the Whitney Biennial


A few months ago, I responded to an open call from Occupy Museums for their Debtfair project. OM is a movement born out of Occupy Wall Street; an artist group which challenges the institution of art and museums, "WE OCCUPY MUSEUMS TO RECLAIM SPACE FOR MEANINGFUL CULTURE BY AND FOR THE 99%. ART AND CULTURE ARE THE SOUL OF THE COMMONS. ART IS NOT A LUXURY!" (quote from their website). The Debtfair project invited any artist to contribute detailed information regarding their own personal financial debt and how it affects their art, themselves as artists and their identity. OM was also looking at the intricacies of Puerto Rico's debt crisis and "La Promesa," calling for art by Puerto Rican artists. This information would then gathered and calculated to help draw certain conclusions about debt, how it relates to the art market and the Collector Class, revealing how financial institutions are intrinsically tied to cultural institutions - and this information would be presented within an art installation to be included in the Whitney Biennial (March 17th-June 11th, 2017).

In contemplating whether or not I should submit my information, I realized what a private topic debt is, and how much shame it can carry. The idea of participating in Debtfair was intriguing, especially in terms of being able to join the group in challenging the Institution from within the institution (i.e. Debtfair being presented within the Biennial). As I started answering the Debtfair survey, I thought more about my own debt and how it has affected me as an artist, specifically. For me, as a self-taught artist from a working-class background, I thought I may have a different perspective to offer the project (which I assumed would be mostly made up of artists in deep MFA debt). I certainly have the data (in terms of debt amounts) to contribute. Also, I just happened to have a series of paintings I did about Puerto Rico and my identity as an artist of Puerto Rican descent. So I decided that I would be a good candidate for a Debtfair and I went ahead and submitted my information - but not before reconciling my feelings about being in debt so that I could feel comfortable presenting about it publically (like right now!). It has been oddly liberating. I've actually started creating some artwork exploring the concepts of debt vs. abundance and experimenting with different mediums. In the end, for me, I think that this experience has enabled me to harness the burden of my debt and use it for self-empowerment.

In the end, OM chose 30 artists to hang their work within the Debtfair installation (I was not one of them) and the remaining 500 or so artists who contributed information have profiles on the website, which is projected onto the adjacent wall (I am one of these). Here are links to all 500+ Debtfair artists profiles, and here is the direct link to my profile. The collective running debt amount of all of the participating Debtfair artists (to date) is $55,176,849.84. The data that OM gathered is presented, in part, on the wall of the installation - and in greater detail on the infographics on their website (SEE HERE). It's quite fascinating to "follow the money," and see where all roads lead back to.


See more information about Debtfair and the Whitney Biennial, below.

Occupy Museums Debtfair installation at the Whitney Biennial, main wall. 


Occupy Museums Debtfair installation - detail of "Nino Santo" by Adrian "Viajero" Roman.



Occupy Museums Debtfair installation - paintings hung on left with projection and screens on the right.

Here's a photo of me standing in front of my Debtfair installation artists profile page at the Whitney Biennial. The painting pictured is called "Puerto Rican Charm" created as a part of my Boriqua Sankofa series, created in 2015.

Debtfair installation from afar.


“The two greatest stores of wealth internationally today [are] contemporary art [...and] apartments in Manhattan.[...]” -Larry Fink, BlackRock
Debt is the key to seeing American art today.
Debt brings into focus a booming art market parallel to a generation of culture workers slipping into financial ruin. All debts are connected. 
The average American artist today is a debtor; financializing their visions, unable to see beyond cresting loan payments, artists are pressured to adopt the aesthetics–and the politics–most pleasing to the market. They have become conditioned to wade ever deeper into financial risk in exchange for aspirations of success in the art market. 
It is known that hedge fund managers, multinational banking CEOs, and real estate developers are the world’s largest collectors of both art and debt. Moonlighting on museum and auction house boards, this Collector Class derives profits from the trading of these two assets, art and debt, influencing the tides of the art world by shaping and monetizing the artistic canon. 
The Collector Class has invented financial instruments that dissolve their own financial and political risk while everyone else bears the burden. The hidden violence in this system is now emerging. 
Debt, in the form of indentured labor and colonial extraction, is at the foundation of global racial and social inequities. The process continues today as entire populations, including Greece, Argentina, and Puerto Rico, are forced to sell off their futures to vulture fund partners at 1000% return on investment. The Collector Class extracts value and reaps returns from securitized public resources, education debts, credit card debts, municipal debts and mortgage debts. All over the world, people have become debtors before citizens. Debtors before artists. Debtors before people. We believe that this world will not find balance until reparations are paid. 
While elites join debts together into bundles to securitize profits, debtors see themselves as increasingly isolated, lost in one-sided financial precarity. And yet, unexpectedly, there lies before us an opportunity to locate ourselves in this global struggle. We are united in seeking economic justice and building a culture industry that works for us and our communities, not against us. And we are also united because all of our debts are connected. The time is now for we debtors to leverage our collective power.

Whitney Biennial 2017


The formation of self and the individual’s place in a turbulent society are among the key themes reflected in the work of the artists selected for the 2017 Whitney Biennial. The exhibition includes sixty-three participants, ranging from emerging to well-established individuals and collectives working in painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, film and video, photography, activism, performance, music, and video game design.
The Whitney Biennial is the longest running survey of contemporary art in the United States, with a history of exhibiting the most promising and influential artists and provoking lively debate. The 2017 Biennial is the Museum’s seventy-eighth in a continuous series of Annual and Biennial exhibitions initiated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1932. It is the first to be held in the Whitney’s downtown home at 99 Gansevoort Street, and the largest ever in terms of gallery space.
Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014



(For more photos of my visits to the Whitney Biennial and more art, goto my Instagram: @Whippedhoney)




Monday, March 20, 2017

Cuba Libre!



I can't believe that months have passed since I've written a blog post. I actually have had a lot going on and many things to write about, however, not much time to do the actual writing. One thing that I did that was totally amazing was travel to Cuba. Yes, it was awesome! My good friends, Genevieve and Francisco, were going to Havana and they asked me to tag along - I thought this might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so of course I said yes. We made up an artful itinerary and went in January, 2017, staying for one blissful week. In addition to enjoying the warm weather, taking in the sights, meeting some wonderful Cuban people, and seeing lots of art; we managed to bump into some friends, play capoeira and have more than a few serendipitous experiences. I'll let the pictures tell the story... with captions.

The first neighborhood we stayed in Havana was Vedado, and our apartment was literally right off of the Malecón. Very beautiful and extremely sea-breezy at all times!

Statue of Jose Martí in Central Park, Old Havana.


Driving by the Malecón. The strong waves literally splash over onto the walkway and the highway too!

Monument for Cienfuegos in the Plaza de Revolución.

Monument for Che Guevara in the Plaza de Revolución.


Jose Marti monument, National Library in the Plaza de Revolución.



Of course, I had to have a Cuba Libre. This was the first of many.

Driving around town, Old Havana.

Walking around Old Havana.


Outside of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana

In the lobby of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

I took this pic inside of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, but then found out that picture-taking is not allowed in the main building (where the Cuban art is located). Needless to say, I was very sad! Some of the art I saw there really blew me away, it was a wonderful museum experience. I was particularly touched by work of artists JORGE ARCHE and SERVANDO CABRERA MORENO, and there were many other amazing artists works there. I bought the exhibition book so that I could remember what I saw and look up the artists later.

I took this pic outside of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Yes, I was totally enamored by the classic cars and all of the bright colors in Old Havana.

This pic was taken inside of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes' annex building (about two blocks away), where the international artists' work is located. Yes, you are allowed to photograph here!

Lo and behold, what did I find at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes? An entire exhibition by Michelangelo Pistoletto! I attended an art residency at his Fondazione  Pistoletto, last year in Biella, Italy. Small world, indeed!

A famous piece by Pistoletto, Venus of Rags. (I also saw one of these in Biella.)

Staircase inside of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, with a beautiful stained glass ceiling.


A beautiful stained glass window at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

A building in Old Havana at sunset.

Cathedral Square, Old Havana

Cathedral Square, Old Havana


A view from the rooftop bar at Hotel Ambos Mundos on Calle Obispo in Old Havana.

Full moon over monument in the Plaza de Armas in Old Havana. The style of this building really intrigued me (since it looked quite different from most of the others) so I had to look it up. It's called El Templete (Little Temple) and was built in the Greek Neoclassical, Doric temple-style in 1827. 


The view from a park bench in a WiFi park in Vedado. Cuba does not have readily-available WiFi, so most people go to central locations (oftentimes parks) where you can pay to use WiFi.

Taking a ferry to the neighborhood of Regla, across the Havana Bay.

Outside of Museo de Regla.

Outside of Museo de Regla. No pics taken inside.

A pic of me, near the port in Regla.

Crossing the Havana Bay, Regla.


Having a much-needed refreshment at a lunch counter in Old Havana.

At the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, about to see Orquesta Compay Segundo perform.

Orquesta Compay Segundo. Awesome!

Cutting a rug at the Hotel Nacional.

Hotel Nacional de Cuba, from the outside.

Cuba had many serendipitous events in store for us - this was one of them. Bumping into our NYC capoeira family, Professor Caimãn, in Vedado.

We walked over to a street rumba (drum and dance party) at Callejón de Hamel and took a few flix. Ilê de Palmares in the house!  

...and of course, couldn't resist doing a little capoeira.

...it drew a crowd.

...and the local kids got in on the action.

...they really got a kick out of capoeira (I'm being punny).

Taking a long walk across a bay to the Miramar neighborhood.

This was our second location. We stayed in a penthouse apartment, in the sky-y-y. Here's a panoramic pic.

View from our terrace in Miramar.

A monument for Fidel and the anniversary of the Revolution, in Miramar.

Having a beer on our terrace in Miramar. Claro que si!

A pic from a uber-trendy rooftop bar in Miramar, called El Cocinero. Yes, there are hipsters in Cuba too. Whatevs.

Morning in Miramar.

Yes, the coffee in Cuba is everything it should be.

We took a trip to Fusterlandia. This is one of the many decorated facades, on the streets leading up to the actual home of Jose Rodriguez Fuster.  In other words, Fuster's art has overtaken practically the entire neighborhood of Playa Jaimanitas. Fuster is a prolific artist, who's been called "the Picasso of Cuba." His mosaic tile work has been compared also to Gaudi.

Taking a break at Fusterlandia. (I'm sneaky with the candid shots!)

Everywhere you turn inside of Fusterlandia - art!

Art selfie :)

Fusterlandia.

Fusterlandia.

Me, in love, at Fusterlandia.

Fusterlandia.


Walking past the public library's art gallery in Old Havana - an exhibit of Cuban silkscreened posters, "Cubanos."

Cubanos exhibit.

A side-street in Old Havana, where a pedicab was parked.

Street art in Old Havana - 2+2=5 character.

Sticker art in Old Havana.

Sunrise over Miramar.

Sunrise breakfast on our terrace in Miramar.

A day at the beach! Tarará, Cuba.

Tarará beach.

Tarará

I came across this beautiful bronze statue in Old Havana - it looked so powerful, I had to look it up. I found out that it is a monument for the Inca warrior Rumiñahui created by Ecuadorian artist, Oswaldo Guysamín.


(To see more pics, check out my Instagram @Whippedhoney)

My Work in Debtfair at the Whitney Biennial

A few months ago, I responded to an open call from Occupy Museums for their Debtfair project. OM is a movement born out of Occupy Wall S...