On View:

Psycho-tropics: Belonging Elsewhere

March 15 - April 27, 2024
Opening Reception: March 15, 6-8 PM

Artists
Natalia Almonte
Yazmany Arboleda
Edward Cabral
Ojos Caribe
Jill Cohen-Nuñez
Patricia Encarnación
Nicole Mouriño
Christopher Paz-Rivera
Estefania Velez Rodriguez

Curator: Sofía Shaula Reeser del Rio

Psycho-tropics: Belonging Elsewhere is a collective inquiry into transformation and resilience. The featured artists in this show engage in explorations of cultural liminality and question the relationship between individuals and their environment. While considering the melding of city and landscape, the show unfolds as an inquiry of the diasporic psyche, delving into societal norms, cultural dynamics, environmental factors, historical legacies, and diverse migrant narratives. Each artist spotlights liminal space–honoring rituals, migration, community, and belonging, and reflects on the interconnectedness of self and community. As a reminder of our shared humanity, the exhibition invites viewers to identify refuge, construct alternative archives, and highlight a collective disbelief of progress. 

Delving into the influences of de-colonial practices and nature, the artists reconstruct and challenge prevailing notions of American-ness. By carving out spaces of refuge and constructing alternative realities to a contemporary anxious-driven society, the exhibition becomes a celebration of collective hope in the face of false progress. The exhibition then becomes a poignant reminder of our shared humanity and the power of personal histories in decentralizing monolithic narratives. A communal table welcomes engagement and fosters contribution to a zine-like catalog that aims to cultivate narratives and embrace alternative perspectives.

Public Programs:

Opening Reception

Friday, March 15, 6-8 PM

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

Hand-Building with Air Dry Clay Workshop with Jill Cohen Nuñez

Saturday, March 23, 2-4 PM

Learn the basics of how to coil-build a pot. Ages 12+

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

DibujArte/Draw Art

Saturday, March 30, 12-2 PM

Join artist Nicole Mouriño for a family-friendly drawing workshop using the artworks in the exhibition as inspiration. Ages 5+ with their caregivers, participants learn to work with charcoal on newsprint and canvas while interpreting sculptural works by Edward Cabral, Jill Cohen Nuñez, and Patricia Encarnación. Attendees can choose to participate or contribute to the exhibition’s living catalog. Limited materials provided and BYO supplies recommended.

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

JURUTUNGO: Concrete Poetry Workshop led by Natalia Almonte

Saturday, April 6, 3-5:30 PM

This workshop will explore the concept of Concrete Poetry, historically defined as an arrangement of linguistic elements in which the typographical effect is more important in conveying meaning than verbal significance. There are no rules, just interpretations. The intention is to free ourselves of what we should do, of what is expected, of what the finished product could be, and let ourselves embrace the unknown in order to discover something about ourselves that we did not know yesterday. Please bring your materials of choice.

Suggestions: writing and drawing utensils, paper or other surfaces, iPad/Tablet.

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public. This event is recommended for people ages 13+.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

Catalog Launch with Ojos Caribe screening & Cake by Edward Cabral

Thursday, April 11, 6-9 PM

Join us for the catalog launch, screening with Ojos Caribe, and special cake decorated by Edward Cabral.

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

Materials Workshop with Estefania Velez Rodriguez

Saturday, April 13, 12:30-2 PM

This workshop facilitated by Estefania Velez Rodriguez explores different ways of using organic materials to make pigments.

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

Death Cafe Ceremony with Jill Cohen-Nuñez hosted by Anastasia Corrine and Nancy Huang

Saturday, April 13, 5-8 PM

Join us for an afternoon of Ceremony held by the Death Cafe with Jill Cohen-Nuñez, Hosted by Anastasia Corrine and Nancy Huang.

Where and how do we allow ourselves to grieve and mourn? Expressing grief is a survival mechanism; the way we mourn reflects the way we live. The death cafe, a BIPOC-centered event, is an opportunity for people to come together and share thoughts, fears, and dreams about mortality, and plan for the future. Death cafes is an offering for a present and future committed to love and dignity for the living, the ill, and the dead. We aim to create intergenerational spaces dedicated to the safety and celebration of people of all abilities. We will gather to discuss death and dying in a nonjudgmental space, build a collective altar, and enjoy light refreshments.

In person at EFA Project Space
323 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018
Free and open to the public.
RSVP Recommended but not required.

Upcoming Project: