TIERRA FUTURA at RISD

Join artist Shey Rivera Ríos on Wednesday December 17 at RISD Washington Place Auditorium from 7-9pm, for a presentation and workshop on how narratives of Puerto Rican identity were (and are) created through art. Our key question: How can artists resist agendas of empire and instead create for liberation and self-determination? We will take a close look at how the icon of the jíbaro (farm worker) was constructed in Puerto Rico by U.S. funded documentary photography during the New Deal era.

We will discuss the role of artists in crafting narratives of representation, how art has been used for land development and governance strategies, and engage with ways to subvert this power dynamic to instead shift the energy toward creating decolonial futures. During our time together, we will use Rivera's practice of photographic annotation to create decolonial storytelling. Bring a photo from your childhood, family history, or a place that is special to you. Let's shift the narratives and center our stories!

Free admission, snacks and refreshments provided. Supported by RISD Research, RISD SPUR Fund, and Brown University's Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice.

Also check out other Arts events in Providence, Workshops in Providence.