Centro Gallery

As part of its public outreach efforts, the Centro Library and Archives throughout its history has maintained a regular program of exhibitions. These have included a wide variety of materials such as displays of archival holdings and art works on paper from Centro's collection and visiting exhibitions.  In spring 2003 Centro mounted an exhibition of portfolios by the artist Rafael Tufiño which was organized by volunteer José Vidal. Maestro Tufiño attended the opening and the show's success inspired the official establishment of the Centro Gallery.

The mission of the Centro Gallery is to exhibit the materials contained in the Centro archives and other visual art representative of the Puerto Rican Diaspora. Once each semester, Centro Gallery mounts a full-scale exhibition featuring a single artist's work. At other times, Centro Gallery exhibits a variety of materials drawn from the archives. Ideally, a new exhibit appears every other month. For example, in fall 2003 fifteen new manuscript collections were opened for research. To mark that achievement, Centro Gallery exhibited a small, but illustrative sample from each of the fifteen collections.

In the future, Centro Gallery will continue to promote the art of the Puerto Rican Diaspora. It will provide exhibition space for established as well as newer artists and publish catalogues of the exhibitions to promote critical writing on the arts. The Gallery will also continue to exhibit selections from existing archival material both at the gallery and on Centro's website. Centro, already a world-class repository of materials documenting the history of the Puerto Rican Diaspora, will also become a world-class art space continuing to support the cultural vibrancy of our community.

If you are a Puerto Rican artist, or if you have any ideas you would like to share regarding exhibits, please contact Pedro Juan Hernandez, Senior Archivist at dhernand@hunter.cuny.edu

Schedule of Exhibitions at Centro Gallery in Chronological Order

Marlis Momber “On and Off the Avenue” Loisaida N.Y.C. 1976-2009 February 2 - May 1, 2009 Carmen Ayala Alegría bomba e’ August 4-October 17, 2008 David Antonio Cruz between the air, the bark, and the green... where all things go... April 14- June 27, 2008 El Taller Boricua “El Taller Boricua’s 38th Anniversary (1970-2008)” January 28 – April 4, 2008 Manny Vega “Un buen camino” September 17, 2007 – January 10, 2008 Puerto Rican Fiestas A Salute to the Puerto Rican National Day Parade 2007 May 25- August 31, 2007 Lourdes Vazquez and Consuelo Gotay April 19-May 25, 2007 Salmos del cuerpo Ardiente. Artist Book Pedro Pietri March 23-April 14, 2007 Unveling of Documents: Pedro Pietri (Selection of documents) Yasmin Hernández February 9-March 17, 2007 Archivos Subversivos Nitza Tufiño November 30, 2006-January 19, 2007 Hanging in There Clemente Flores October 16-November 17, 2006 Images of El Barrio Group Show September 18-October 13, 2006 Rafael Vélez August 14-September 15 2006 Wanda Raimundi Ortiz April 24 - August 31, 2006 "Wepa Woman Strikes Back" Marcos Dimas March 6 - April 7, 2006 Paintings Recent Acquisitions January 10 - March 1, 2006 Gloria Rodríguez Calero November 14 - December 9, 2005 "Idealized Subjects" Jorge Soto October 17 - November 11, 2005 "Selections from the Pedraza Collection" Carlos Ortíz September 10 - October 14, 2005 "The South Bronx" The Photography of Carlos Ortiz International Hip-Hop August 18 - Sept 16, 2005 Exchange Languistics: Names, Words, Letters and Boricua Reinterpretation(s) Rashid May 23 - June 24, 2005 "Prints" Máximo Colón April 25 - May 20, 2005 "Encuentros" Photography of Maximo Colon Maria Domínguez March 21 - April 22, 2005 "Chauncey Station Project" Tony Vélez February 22 - March 18, 2005 Photography Miguel Luciano October 11 - November 19, 2004 "Louisiana Porto Ricans" Diogenes Ballester September 9 - October 8, 2004 "The Keeper of History, Holder of Dreams" Tanya Torres March 9 - April 2, 2004 "Imagenes Femeninas" Miriam Hernández November 10 - December 10, 2003 "Finding the Path" Paintings by Miriam Hernandez Rafael Tufiño March 26 - April 26, 2003 Prints

Exhibitions in Other Institutions that involved Centro