Art in the City of Dreams

Reynaldo Castro's living artwork interacting with paintings by Antonio Oliveira at ArtNight. Photo by Maria Moreno.

A few weeks ago, my good friend Maria Moreno, who happens to be a great photographer , asked me if I would like to have my art included in an event called ArtNight. As it turns out, ArtNight is an annual event that's been put on by the Marriott hotel brand SpringHill Suites at their various locations throughout the US and Canada since 2010. The purpose of ArtNight is to give exposure to local artists and engage hotel guests, giving them a glimpse into the city's art scene - while "demonstrating the brand's dedication to design and style" (their words, not mine). This ArtNight, entitled, "Art in the City of Dreams," would take place on Tuesday, October 13th at their Midtown Manhattan location. The invited artists, besides Maria and myself were  Antonio Oliveira, Lorenzo Sanjuan and Reynaldo Castro (as well as musical performers Joselyn Salomon, and Elizabeth Soychak & the Pleasure). As for my part, I figured (based on the theme, Art in the City of Dreams) that I could show paintings that had a dreamlike quality, of which I have a few - I picked three older pieces, along with a new one that I had already begun making for my Puerto Rico series. 

It was a gorgeous fall evening for our ArtNight. Being an event organizer myself, it felt strange and wonderful to just show up and not have to do any work (thank you Gina!). To my surprise when I walked in, the band was playing live harp and violin (classy!). The artwork was displayed really well, transforming the hotel lobby into an interesting art space. The paintings by Antonio Oliveira, Lorenzo Sanjuan and Reynaldo Castro looked great alongside Maria's narrative photo story, and my paintings too. The surprise of the evening was when Reynaldo came out to complete his painting on a naked lady! Once his work was done, she (a living piece of art) moved around the room interacting with the people and the artwork for the remainder of the night. Being that the room was full of friends and friends-of-friends, and fueled by wine, we all had a great time. The band played on, eventually adding singers and an acoustic guitar, while we mixed, mingled and laughed. I hope that the hotel guests enjoyed it as much as we did!

Group shot of the artists and musicians at ArtNight. Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

Photo by Maria Moreno.

My paintings: (top left) Sonando en Flamboyan Puertorriqueno, (bottom left) Sueno, (top right) Portrait of Frida Kahlo (bottom right) Flamenco. Photo by Maria Moreno.

Community Arts and Cultural Equity in Queens

Group shot at QCA after Cultural Equity discussion.

Being an artist and a resident of Queens, NY for the last eight years or so, I was lucky to come across the Queens Council on the Arts. A few years back, they moved their headquarters to a nice bright space in Astoria. QCA offers lots of great things for artists and arts professionals; such as grant-writing workshops, art labs and other resources and events (I've attended a few of them, like grant-writing and fiscal sponsorship workshops). Recently I received an invitation to attend a panel discussion posing the question, “How Can We Change the Future of Arts and Communities Through Cultural Equity?” This seemed like it would be right up my alley, so I registered for the event on Tuesday, September 29^th. 

The panel was lead by Janice Bond, Cultural Curator and Arts Advocate in Chicago and Jason Tseng, Community Specialist for Fractured Atlas in NYC. I was impressed with how they dove straight in to some hard-to-discuss topics like white privilege, colonial mindsets and language equality – and I thought they did a great job of unpacking it all along with the audience (many of whom participated in the “fish bowl” inclusive discussion). After identifying some of these complicated systems and hurdles that people (in this case, artists) come up against, the room seemed really ripe for more. We wanted to dig deeper and some people were piping up to ask for specific solutions, but our two hours were almost up. So the moderator, Zahida Pirani jumped in and posed an important proposition. She said that she has been thinking about forming an artist leadership network specifically for Queens; and she asked if anyone in the room would be interested in joining the steering committee. I raised my hand, along with a handful of other people in the room and she quickly jotted down our names.

In the end, I don't think it would have even been possible to answer such a big question in one sitting (“How Can We Change the Future of Arts and Communities Through Cultural Equity?"). But I do think that we came away with something huge; a step towards building a network and towards developing more culturally equitable opportunities for artists in Queens and beyond. Since the discussion, a group of us have been communicating and will soon be having or first Queens Artist Steering Committee meeting. I am looking forward to it!

Puerto Ricans, Now En Vogue, in NYC

Brooklyn Museum member's opening reception for  

Impressionism and the Caribbean: Francisco Oller and His Transatlantic World .

Well apparently it's National Hispanic Heritage Month and while I’ve never paid if much mind before, I have recently been more aware of “Hispanic” goings-on around town, especially in the art world. I just Googled it and found that the month runs from September 15^th to October 15^th, which is kind of weird and interesting – overlapping between two different months and in fact two different seasons, summer and fall. The "month" is composed of multiple elements, much like one might say Hispanics are? I don’t think the reasoning was that poetic. I read online that the dates were stretched in order to include Columbus Day (as he “discovered” many of the Latin American countries [pause here for a look of stunned disbelief]). By the way, I am not a fan of the term Hispanic - but I will save that for a different blog post. For now, I would like to report on a few events that I’ve recently found out about and/or attended and around town, as they relate to this Travesia Artistica blog in general, and to Puerto Rican art and culture specifically.

Firstly, there is the tri-pronged exhibit, ¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York located at El Museo Del Barrio, the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Loisaida Center. The exhibits have been running since the summer, but this month, I've noticed a few other institutions linking in on the Young Lords theme. Specifically, the Shomberg Center for Research in Black Culture with a panel discussion event entitled, Conversations in Black Freedom Studies - The Young Lords Party, Part 1, which took place on October 1st (part 2 to be scheduled for 2016), and the Queens Museum hosting an "offsite" event (actually at El Museo, not QMA) called Puerto Ricans in New York and the Young Lords in El Barrio on October 10th. Besides those, I came across information for a food festival called, Puerto Rico Meets NYC (September 30th to October 4th) featuring a multitude of top chefs at tasting events culminating in a Lechon Asado Block Party (yes, an old fashioned pig roast!). 

Another major event that kicked off this month is the retrospective exhibition of Puerto Rican master artist Francisco Oller at the Brooklyn Museum, entitled, Impressionism and the Caribbean: Francisco Oller and His Transatlantic World (running from October 2nd, 2015 through January 3rd, 2016). Being a museum member, I was thrilled to receive an invitation to  the members-only advance preview and reception for the exhibit, which I attended on October 1st. Ann Pasternak (the museum's recently appointed director) gave a welcoming speech before introducing a lovely Latin Jazz band and inviting members to partake in the open bar which included Puerto Rican rum drinks - and there were even plantain chips to snack on, not to mention gorgeous table arrangements made of tropical plants reminiscent of the island (a nice touch!). The Oller exhibit is extensive, 85 works - Oller's, as well as some of his contemporaries and predecessors. Even though the exhibit rightfully points out how Oller was influenced by his time and study in Europe, I thought they also did a great job at illuminating the fact that his Puerto Rican/Caribbean influence was maintained throughout his career and how it shows through his aesthetic, for example, in Still Life with Coconuts (circa 1893). Moreover, Oller's works featuring people - from portraits to scenes - give a sense of the complicated spectrum of race and class in Puerto Rican culture; for example in his well-known work; Maestro Cordero's School (circa 1890). Another iconic piece featured in the exhibit is The Wake (circa 1893), which is actually a reproduction (that seemed to be a big disappointment for some visitors). But even though the museum was unable to obtain the original for whatever reasons, I think that they would have been remiss had they not offered some reference to this important work.  

I'm not sure if all of the aforementioned events were specifically programmed to revolve around Hispanic Heritage Month or not. But in addition to the Puerto Rican/Nuyorican-centric institutions like El Museo and Loisaida Inc., it's wonderful to see Puerto Rican culture - from fine art, to culinary to political and historical influences - brought to light at a wide array of venues across NYC. In any case, I hope to see this appreciation continue well beyond National Hispanic Heritage Month. 


To see more photos of the Francisco Oller exhibit and lots of other arts and cultural events check out my Instagram: @whippedhoney.

Brooklyn Museum member's opening reception for  

Impressionism and the Caribbean: Francisco Oller and His Transatlantic World .

Brooklyn Museum Director, Ann Pasternak.

Latin-Jazz band playing the reception.

Oller, Self-Portrait

Oller, Still Life with Bananas, Pitcher and Cashews.

Oller, Maestro Cordero's School.

Oller (reproduction), the Wake. 

Oller, Still Life with Coconuts.

Making paintings and the Soulful Arts Collective

Soulful Arts Collective group exhibit at the Living Gallery, Bushwick, Brooklyn

When I applied for the Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW) summer program in Puerto Rico, I decided that I would launch a crowd-funding campaign (out of financial necessity) through GoFundMe. Not being too comfortable with asking people for money, I figured that I should offer “gifts” to donors in certain categories in return for their contributions. Being that I’m a painter, I planned that after I returned from Puerto Rico, I would create a series of paintings based on my experience – and I could offer these as my donor “gifts.” Once I got back home to New York, I had to sit down and start wrapping my head around what that all meant. In addition to having a profound learning experience with CAUWW, I am also of Puerto Rican descent (my dad was born and raised on the island) and so there was a lot for me to consider about the subject matter of the painting series. I wasn’t sure where to start. To get the artistic juices flowing, I simply started painting.

In the process of my starting a new series of paintings, I was offered the opportunity to exhibit my work in a group show, the Soulful Arts Collective. The show was being organized by a woman called Maninha from my capoeira group (Ile de Palmares) and all of the artists involved would be capoeiristas. (For those not familiar, capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art, which I have been practicing for about nine years so far.) I thought exhibiting at Soulful Arts Collective was a great opportunity since I had not shown my paintings in quite some time, and it would challenge me to keep my practice up. I made two capoeira-related paintings especially for the event and chose which others I would include.  

I am a self-taught artist and while I have been painting since I was about eight years old, I have never been a full-time “working artist.” I have had a day-job for all of my adult life - and while I would not consider painting to be “just a hobby,” I must admit that sometimes it falls by the wayside, as life gets in the way. I do not (and have never had) a real painting studio; I paint from home, in very close quarters. I think this is a relevant point to bring up, for a few reasons. First, as it relates to my actual artwork: the confines within which I can create (physical space, scale, time and execution). And also with regards to how it relates to me as an artist of a particular social class; the fact that I am self-taught (some would classify me as an Outsider Artist) and the fact that I have to work a day-job to support myself and cannot function as a full-time artist (which also comes with particular prejudices in the institutional art world).  I also feel that this is related to what we learned about through CAUWW with regards to concepts of Cultural Equity and Social Justice through the arts – and placing me, as an artist, within those frameworks. 

So back to the Soulful Arts Collective... On Friday, September 4^th, the event took place at the Living Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn. There were seven of us exhibiting our work and being that we were all connected to one another through capoeira, it felt like a family affair. (There was Jean Tree, Martell Oliver, Amber Ink, Brandon Valery, Abyot Thuo, Kirsten Haslett and myself.) I liked the fact that the organizer did not ask to select our works; she let us each bring what we wanted. As an artist I really appreciated this totally non-hierarchical approach to the show’s curation – the Living Gallery also seems to have that type of mission. I had not seen my fellow artists work beforehand and I was really impressed with what they displayed. The event was well-attended, DJ Lua Chea played good music, there was free beer and wine offered and everyone was in high spirits. At one point there was a live art performance piece featuring two of our capoeira teachers, Omi and Caiman, creating a painting by way of their movements (hands and feet dipped in paint, moving across a canvas). They blew everyone away!

As a painter, I work in private and the idea of taking pieces out of my house to show in public can be somewhat nerve-racking. But being involved in this exhibit was a totally positive experience for me. It was great to be included alongside other talented artists and to have the opportunity to show (and sell) and discuss my work and ideas with other people. As for my Puerto Rican painting collection, preparing for the Soulful Arts Collective definitely got my practice going. I already have a few new pieces complete. I will be making more in the coming months (some of which I will send to my GoFundMe donors) and will hopefully be exhibiting them somewhere soon.

From New York to Puerto Rico to New York…

Chalk artist creating outside of El Museo Del Barrio.

As per my original intention, this blog – Travesia Artistica – was meant to document my experience with the Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW) program in Puerto Rico, as well as any subsequent inspirations that came out of it. Since I’ve been home in New York City, I have been thinking a lot about what those “subsequent inspirations” and projects are/will be. Although it’s been a while since I actually posted here, so I figure I’d better do so ASAP.

First off, there’s my own personal painting project inspired by my CAUWW experience, which I have already started on (updates soon to come). Secondly there is my art exhibition/event project, which I plan to produce and will include a group of multi-disciplinary artists. The concept for the event was actually my CAUWW final project presentation, however, after getting home, I realized that I need more time to conceptualize and tighten up on my mission (I hope to have that done very soon) before I can start on the production. Besides these projects, I have continued to attend lots of art exhibits and events (if you know me, you know that this is a very regular occurrence), documenting and posting them through my Instagram account (with the appropriate hashtags, of course!) so that they can be shared far and wide. The addition in this case, is that now I have an eye out for the particular Puerto Rican, diasporic and/or Nuyorican connections  – and making said connections on my Instagram postings, and on this very blog. (All three of these things: the painting project, the exhibition event and the online publishing are interrelated, as I hope will be evident once they are all publicly presented.)

One such connecting-of-the-dots that I’ve made is to see the art exhibit that’s up right now: ¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York. It’s a three-pronged exhibit that’s taking place simultaneously at three NYC institutions: The Bronx Museum of the Arts, El Museo del Barrio, and Loisaida Inc.  It piqued my interest, especially after having met Panama Alba, a member of the Young Lords Party (he presented a passionate lecture on his first-hand experience and history of YLP for CAUWW). Two weeks ago I saw ¡Presente! at El Museo (during a block party, Uptown Bounce, in conjunction with the Museum of the City of New York), and last Wednesday I went to Loisaida Inc.

In addition to the exhibit, Loisaida Inc. provided some thoughtful public programming. First, Maximo Colon gave a gallery talk discussing his work as a world-renown photographer, and his involvement with the Struggle as documenting through powerful black and white photography (many which are included in this exhibition) during the time when the YLP was most active. Next, there was another talk: Presente in Absentia: Diasporic Responses to Puerto Rico’s Crisis. This was a brilliant in the part of Loisaida Inc. to make the connection between what was happening politically during the YLP’s heyday and what’s happening now – and offering the opportunity to create dialogue around it. The presenters were journalist Ed Morales, activist David Galarza Santa, leader of Puerto Rico's Working People’s Party, Rafael Bernabe (who Skyped in from Puerto Rico) and a last-minute addition, poet and activist Felipe Luciano. The presentation was well-attended and the conversation was lively (to put it mildly), offering much food for thought.

I haven’t been able to make it up to the Bronx Museum yet, but I hope to at some point soon. In the meantime, I will keep working on my paintings, pondering the art event project, and continue on this Travesia Artistica.

You can see more photos of ¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York and lots of other arts and cultural events on my Instagram: @whippedhoney

Gallery talk for ¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York at El Museo Del Barrio

Entrance of Loisaida Inc.

Photographer Maximo Colon's gallery talk at Loisaida Inc.

¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York at Loisaida Inc.

¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York at Loisaida Inc.

¡Presente! The Young Lords in New York at Loisaida Inc.

Talk "Presente in Absentia: Diasporic Responses to Puerto Rico’s Crisis" at Loisaida Inc.

Panelists and staff at Loisaida Inc.