December 7, 2016 to January 7, 2017

We connect through images, designs, and slogans. It is through representations that people communicate preferences and associations. Colors like red, white, and blue bring to mind the American flag or, with a slight addition of a single star, Puerto Rico’s flag. Even within communities, however, there may be differences in representations. The choice of background color in the Puerto Rican flag, for example, may signal a political preference. Dark blue suggests sympathies for the status quo, and sky blue for an independent state. When realized, the sentiments associated with these representations leave an indelible mark in time. Each choice of image and color responds to the moment of its creation that signals both the intentions of its maker and the context in which it was born. With 24 artists from Philadelphia to Brazil, Taller Puertorriqueño’s inaugural exhibition in the new El Corazón Cultural Center, Nuestro Tema: Llamada y Respuesta (Our Theme: Call and Response), looks at Taller’s community through a sample of its art collection primarily focused on the work of artists it has exhibited to date – the “Call” invoked in the title. In turn, Taller invites outside artists to respond with their work as well as encourages the community to comment – the “Response”. Taller Puertorriqueño arose out of an implicit understanding that art in the community brings people together, stimulates thought, challenges notions — and most of all, enriches people’s lives.