No Black / No White (No And)

No Black / No White (No And) will showcase works by recipients of the 2017 Grants & Commissions Program. The exhibition title references a 1953 statement by John Cage about Robert Rauschenberg's White Paintings (1951) and highlights the realities of contemporary Latin America. In today's global context, the geopolitical, social, economic, and cultural structures surrounding Latin American art production are more relevant than ever.

This exhibition features nine award recipients from six countries, categorized into three groups: the Achievement Award goes to Mexican-American multimedia artist Daniel Joseph Martinez; Mid-Career Artists include Richard Garet (Uruguay) and Fredy Alzate (Colombia); and Emerging Artists are Ilich Castillo (Ecuador), Alana Iturralde (Puerto Rico), Juan Carlos Osorno (Colombia), the duo Celia & Yunior (Cuba), Katherine Fiedler (Peru), and Ulrik López (Puerto Rico).

The aesthetic of the works on display reflects pressing issues in Latin America, as seen in Daniel Joseph Martinez's work. His LA-based practice, rooted in his Mexican-American identity, explores themes of global violence. This exhibition includes both new pieces and earlier works, such as his famous museum tags from the 1993 Whitney Biennial that read "I Cannot Imagine Ever Wanting to be White," presenting a mini-retrospective that challenges notions of identity and geography.

Mid-career artists Richard Garet and Fredy Alzate offer poignant reflections on contemporary urban and rural realities. Garet's interactive piece prompts viewers to engage with sound by approaching a wall, revealing experiences "on the other side" of urban life. Alzate's large-scale sculptures replicate voids left by mining in Colombia, illustrating the impact of human activity on nature and the economy.

Emerging artists present diverse projects, including Ilich Castillo's reappropriated found objects that question material representation; Alana Iturralde's installation of ceramics and embroidery that examines the artistic process; Celia & Yunior's exploration of the University of Havana; Katherine Fiedler's three-channel video installation depicting mining's destructive impact in Peru; Juan Osorno's intricate drawings and sculptures that critique historical failures in human invention; and Ulrik López's decorative brick column, which invites viewers to consider the isolation of the Caribbean Islands.

The exhibition will also launch the publication No Black / No White (No And)—On Latin American Art in the 21st Century on October 20, 2017. This publication features historical works from CIFO's Grants & Commission Program recipients and essays by esteemed art historians José Roca and Cuauhtémoc Medina. A CIFO Talk, in collaboration with the New World School of the Arts, will feature guest speaker Daniel Joseph Martinez, the Achievement Award recipient.