Raúl Romero: Onomonopoetics of a Puerto Rican Landscape
Taller Puertorriqeuño presents the coquí
Friday, April 16, 2021 – Sunday, May 23, 2021
Presented in Gallery One
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ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Onomonopoetics of a Puerto Rican Landscape highlights the sounds of the Eleutherodactylus coquí, a frog endemic to Puerto Rico named by the Tainos. Coquí is an onomatopoeia for the resounding call the frog makes. This work looks at the way the coquí sounds connect back to Puerto Rico and perform as a vessel carrying memory, culture and language. For some the sound may be unfamiliar and for others it may serve as a calling from a homeland.
The initial component of this project is currently on view at Taller Puertorriqueño through June 19th. The representational work at Vox Populi is inspired by the coquí and created in part by children and youth from Taller’s Art Education Programs.
In addition to the work created at Taller this installation consists of a sound sculpture, video and retrofitted cargo tricycle made with Stephen Horcha of Haley Tricycles. The cargo-tricycle turned mobile solar powered sound station was commissioned by Locust Projects in Miami, FL, from Romero’s 2020 iteration of this exhibition. The mobile sound station broadcasts the sounds of the coquí all the while offering an opportunity to contribute and connect to a collective gathering of stories online at http://coquicalls.com. The stories share memories of the coquí and connections to Puerto Rico.
There will be two public programs offering a sound-walk led by the artist. One walk will be conducted at Taller Puertorriqueño through the initial augmented soundscape along the 5th street corridor and the other will be offered outside of Vox Populi. The mobile sound stations will be making appearances in Philadelphia on selected dates TBD.
Exhibition Credits
Thank you to participants from Taller Puertorriqueño’s Art Education Programs: students Elias Zayas, Noah Zayas, Ayziir King, Jarielyz Adorno, Nylah Torres, Angel Pagan, Adrian Alvarado, Giani Romero, Isabela Febres-DelValle, and Dayvontae Adams, and staff members Miss. Ava, Miss. Kelly, Miss. Natalie, and Mr. Freddy.
Special thanks to Marilyn Rodriguez, Education Director at Taller Puertorriqueño for facilitating the collaboration for the exhibition.
Onomonopoetics of a Puerto Rican Landscape is supported by The Velocity Fund and the National Association of Latinx Arts and Culture.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Raúl Romero lives in Philadelphia where he works with sound and sculpture to explore intercommunication between humans, nature and their environment. His background is in communication, sound and video production. Romero graduated from Yale University School of Art with an MFA, 2018. He currently works at the University of the Arts with the position of Film Coordinator & Lecturer and is a member of Vox Populi Gallery.
Raúl has exhibited at Locust. Projects, Miami, FL, The Kitchen in New York City, NY, The Denver Contemporary Art Museum in Denver, CO, Transformer Gallery in Washington D.C., Pentimenti Gallery in Philadelphia, PA, and He was also awarded The William and Nancy Oliver Gallery Prize by Anne Pasternak for the 32nd Annual Juried Art Exhibition at The Contemporary Art Museum in Tampa, FL.
More Info: romero.studio / coquicalls.com / @rauoool