Artist Talk: Heather Raquel Phillips & Yoanny Aldaya & Moderated by Gabriel Martinez
January 17 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Saturday, January 17, 2pm – 4pm
Taller Puertorriqueño | 2600 N. 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19133
FREE EVENT
Join us on January 17 for an exclusive private viewing and an intimate conversation with the artists of the exhibition “Mundos paralelos” (Parallel Worlds). The discussion will be moderated by Gabriel Martinez, a Miami-born, Philadelphia-based multidisciplinary artist and educator.
The exhibition brings together two distinct artists whose practices encompass photography, video, installation, and performance. Though they come from different backgrounds—Yoanny Aldaya (b. 1984) immigrated from Havana, Cuba, in 2024, while Heather Raquel Phillips (b. 1974) is a mixed-media artist of Puerto Rican descent raised in the U.S.—their work converges. Both artists utilize their craft to challenge social norms and foster safe spaces for diversity and individuality.
Register for Event
Program Schedule:
2:00 PM: Private viewing of the exhibition with the artists.
3:00 PM: Artist talk and moderated discussion.
About the Artists:
Heather Raquel Phillips presents a multilayered installation, “Path to Candyland,” which incorporates video, painting, DIY set design, and banners to welcome viewers into a zone for self-care and healing. Dominated by vibrant pinks, sculptural lollipops, and a fantasy landscape, her work makes parallels between the trauma of the self and the exploitation of the island of Puerto Rico. As many U.S. citizens are experiencing an increase in hostility and intolerance of difference, Puerto Rico continues to experience violence under colonial rule. Phillips’ work relies on collaboration, and in this spirit, the viewer is encouraged to interact with the installation to “finish” the work. Phillips’ work challenges social constructs that encourage us to limit ourselves, disregard our intuition, and conform to societal norms. In turn, she encourages unapologetic self-expression through displays of joy that transcend societal standards.
Yoanny Aldaya’s contributions at the beginning of the gallery, “de este lado de la pared” (This Side of the Wall)—encompassing photographs, performance, and videos—probe freedom and personal identity within the context of political restriction. The works on view bridge his life in Cuba and his new existence in Philadelphia, blending past and present. Aldaya’s practice melds religious iconography, both formally and metaphorically, with an affinity for theatricality and self-hybridization. His art ultimately positions the body as a contested site where individual, social, political, and cultural identities are forged.
About the Moderator:
Gabriel Martinez is a Miami-born, Philadelphia-based multidisciplinary artist and educator whose work explores the intersections of Queer identity, masculinity, and Cuban-American heritage. Utilizing photography, performance, and installation, his practice often draws from archival research to examine LGBTQ+ history and social justice.
A highly decorated practitioner, Martinez has received fellowships from the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, and the Independence Foundation. He has participated in prestigious residencies at MacDowell, Yaddo, and the Fabric Workshop and Museum.