Curated by Marcos Dimas, Nitza Tufiño and Christine Licata

Luis Carle: The Divine Journey

Luis Carle’s exhibition “The Divine Journey” documents his personal path as a photographer. Spanning the last thirty years, this retrospective of black and white and color photographs is a reflection of observations and experiences throughout his life and travels. The exhibition is constructed from complex interwoven moments, exploring the themes of spirituality, sexuality, politics and social customs. Including portraiture, still lifes and landscapes, Carle’s intimate and provocative images form archetypal narratives that project universal messages. Stories that emphasize both human strength and fragility—a testament to the divine journey we all take.

Born in Puerto Rico and now based in New York City, Luis Carle has shown in galleries and museums throughout New York and abroad including the African American Museum, Centro Gallery at Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, El Taller Boricua, El Museo del Barrio, MOCADA: Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, The Museum of Modern Art, the Hague Arts Center (The Hague, Netherlands) and Sarkowsky Gallery (St. Petersburg, Russia.) He is also the founder of O.P. Art, Inc. (Organization of Puerto Rican Artists, Inc.). Since its inception, the group has participated in numerous exhibitions and been included in The Museum of Modern Art Library and the Smithsonian Institute’s Archives of American Art. More of Carle’s work can be viewed at: www.luiscarle.com

Armando Soto: Los Taínos Through Nuyorican Eyes

Armando Soto’s exhibition of paintings and drawings, “Los Taínos Through Nuyorican Eyes” is inspired by the Taínos, the indigenous Indians of Puerto Rico, as well as the aspects of traditional Spanish folk and African art that also share Taíno roots. The term “Nuyorican” is a combination of “New York” and “Puerto Rican,” referring to Puerto Rican immigrants who relocated to New York and the integrated culture that grew out their presence here.

As a “Nuyorican” himself, Soto explores the influences from the art, symbols and traditions of these aboriginal cultures through a contemporary viewpoint—many of which relate to his own life experiences. His work is a mixture of both traditional and contemporary religious, musical and literary references. With bright colors and bold forms Soto creates a visually poetic world somewhere between the past and present, bound by powerful, metaphysical forces of belief and custom.

Born and raised in West Harlem and based in Troy, New York, Armando Soto is an original co-founder of El Taller Boricua and El Museo del Barrio in New York City. Currently an instructor of the visual arts at Parsons Child and Family Center (Albany), he has taught throughout New York as well has collaborated with educators in creating innovative art curriculums for schools. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and institutions in New York including the Brooklyn Museum, NYU Loeb Student Center, the Henry Street Settlement, Boricua College Gallery, Bank Street College Gallery, Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio, El Taller Boricua, Champlain College, Hudson Valley Community College, and the New York State Museum of History and Art.