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Arena for Contemporary African, African-American and Caribbean Art

Frances Gallardo, Puerto Rico

GallardoHurricaneSeries2015b

 

Frances Gallardo, Puerto Rico

Hurricane series, 2015.

About:

The deceptive beauty of Frances Gallardo’s cut-paper hurricane series belies the urgent underlying theme of climate change, which is a particular threat for her native island of Puerto Rico in the Tropics. Gallardo’s work combines exquisitely crafted cut-paper installations with conceptual performance art. Delving beneath the surface, paper serves as a metaphor for human skin and vulnerability. Based on satellite imagery appropriated from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, Meteorology includes large-scale cut-paper installations and sculpture. The public opening on Saturday, January 18 will include a site-responsive performance by the artist.

GallardoDesdoradoSeries2014

Desbordado series, 2014.

GallardoDesbordado2014

Desbordado Series, 2014.

GallardoUnicorn in the island2015

Unicorn in the island, 2015.

GallardoLandings Lift Off 2016

Landings Lift Off, 2016.

Frances Gallardo (b. 1984 San Juan, Puerto Rico) lives and works in San Juan and New York. She graduated in 2008 from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. She has held residencies at the Center for Book Arts (NYC) and Beta Local (San Juan). In 2012, she was awarded the Lexus Prize and was featured in a solo exhibit at the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture in San Juan. This is her first exhibition in the DMV region.