SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Nel Figueroa’s Flexingx - La Puerta Borrosa is a joyous, immensely unique exhibition of work that strikes the nucleus of Caribbean identity through a glitched-out lens of nostalgia, wonderment, and satire. The artist incorporates the familiar icons of fruit, birds, and anatomy amongst scenes of nature, industry, and cultural phenomenon. Flexingx - La Puerta Borrosa is an invigorating journey into the surreal gateways of one of Puerto Rico’s most intriguing creative minds.
-The Curators, 81C
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Through my work, I explore the relationships between essence, presence, time, and memory. I employ enamel paint and pigment dust to present subjects in a transitional state, either appearing or disappearing. By depicting domesticated animals, flowers, and fruits with vivid colors, I seek to build upon the tradition of still-life paintings of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Occasionally, I utilize elements from graffiti culture, such as shines and bubble letters, to emphasize the idea of inevitable modifications suffered by memories due to the passage of time.” - NEL, 2024
ARTIST BIO
Nelson “NEL” Figueroa, b. 1974.
During his childhood, he began drawing superheroes from the comics he used to read. By the early 90s, he got involved in the graffiti and Hip-Hop world. By then, he continued his journey by painting in the streets while living in the Bronx in the city of New York. He studied his high school years at the Dr. Alfredo M. Aguayo, in Ponce’s coastal area, where he took art courses from a well-known art teacher, Mr. Franky Pérez whom noticed Nelson’s talent and in turn motivated him to continue to both draw and paint. He began his BA studies at the Pontifical Catholic University in Ponce, majoring in Social Work, but found the art world much more fulfilling. In turn, he enrolled in the School of Visual Arts at the Cultural Institute of Puerto Rico in 2003. During his second year at the university, he met his peer and later close friend David Zayas, who showed him a much broader perspective about the arts. Later Mr. Andrés Marrero, both founder and owner of “Galerías Prinardi”, saw Nelson’s paintings and promoted his work, achieving recognition among well-known art collectors who met and acquired some of his art pieces. He graduated in 2009 with various awards from the Department of Painting and Drawing from the School of Visual Arts. Currently, Mr. Nelson Figueroa is pursuing his MFA at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
SHOW DETAILS:
Full scale exhibition opening night at 81C’s main gallery
Nel Figueroa - Flexingx, La Puerta Borrosa
Location: 81C / main gallery / historic Charlotte Amalie
Strand Gade between Waterfront and Main St.
Access: Free admission / open to the public. Parking is available on the Waterfront just west of Moe’s grocery. 81C is a one block walk towards Market Square. Please note that parking is not available directly across from 81C.
THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED IN PART BY THE PINK PALM HOTEL AND VIYA