Morir Soñando, curatorial project commisioned by Knockdown Center (2018). The exhibition included work by Penn Eastburn, Valery Jung Estabrook, Hein Koh, Joiri Minaya, Kristianne Molina, Onel Naar, Esther Ruiz, Cristina Tufiño and Woolpunk.
The show borrows its name from the popular Dominican beverage, which quite literally translates into the expression “to die dreaming.” A frothy iced delight made from fresh orange juice and cold milk, morir soñando resists easy preparation and consumption. If not made at the proper temperature or mixed incorrectly, the milk
can curdle from the acidity of the orange juice. The process of making the drink is a careful choreography that unites two unlikely ingredients in delicious harmony.
The show borrows its name from the popular Dominican beverage, which quite literally translates into the expression “to die dreaming.” A frothy iced delight made from fresh orange juice and cold milk, morir soñando resists easy preparation and consumption. If not made at the proper temperature or mixed incorrectly, the milk
can curdle from the acidity of the orange juice. The process of making the drink is a careful choreography that unites two unlikely ingredients in delicious harmony.
The delicate process of making morir soñandos
functions metaphorically to establish relationships
between the artists’ diverse use of materials and
social commentary. Working across painting, sculpture, textile, and video, the artists address subjects like racial tensions, gender-based violence,
neocolonial trauma, and environmental concerns,
but do so in subtle ways informed by their material
engagement. Within the work, fluid lines, pastel
colors, and velvety textures are formal cues that
ultimately help articulate the potential of radical
vulnerability to become a tool for liberation. Firmly
grounded in the site-specificity of New York City—a metropolis defined by ongoing cultural exchange
and migrations—Morir Soñando is a Caribbean reference that alludes to perspectives far more nuanced
than those contained within any single diaspora.
Summer Series
Summer Series was a weekly series of presentations on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Using Instragram to call upon artists, curators, and diverse practioners within and outside of the field, people came together to present mini art-historical lectures to an audience of peers. In an intimate environment, connecting phones to a projector, participants spoke earnestly about their favorite artists and how certain artworks have changed their lives. Special thanks to Kofi and the Good Life Community Garden in Bushwick, the location of the third session of Summer Series.
