Nature Boy, Director, Darice Polo, 2022
Logline – Ruperto and Emilia were pioneers, early settlers, confronted by the challenges of leaving Puerto Rico and raising their children and grandchildren in early to mid 20th century New York.
Synopsis – Nature Boy tells the story of the filmmaker’s grandparents, Ruperto and Emilia, who emigrated to New York from Puerto Rico in 1927 and raised a family of six daughters on Prospect Avenue in the Bronx. Conversations with two of the daughters, now in their 70s and 80s, recount the nurturing of their mother and aunt, the struggles they faced during the depression, and the community driven activism of their father.
Returning Home, Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland, OH, in curatorial partnership with the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, from April 26, 2024 to May 31, 2024.
Bronx Screening Series, Bronx, NY, Bronx Brewery, Supported by the Bronx Council on the Arts, 26 November 2023 | 7:00 pm | tickets | Walk-in cinema followed by Q&A with filmmakers.
International Puerto Rican Film Festival, New York, NY, the Museum of the City of New York, 2 November 2023 | 4:00 pm | tickets | Walk-in cinema followed by Q&A with filmmakers.
LIFE Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA, Avenida Studios, 6 May 2023 | 3:45 pm | tickets | Walk-in cinema followed by Q&A with filmmakers.
The West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival 2023, Morgantown, WV, Gluck Theater, 16 April 2023 | 1:30 pm | tickets | Walk-in cinema followed by Q&A with filmmakers.
Film Diary Festival 2022, Brooklyn, NY, Millennium Film Workshop, 15 November 2022 | 8 pm | tickets | Walk-in cinema followed by Q&A with filmmakers.
Latinx Project NYU, Intervenxions, 25 July 2022
Seeds of Colonialism: Ohio Forces in Puerto Rico, essay written by Darice Polo.
In Seeds of Colonialism: Ohio Forces in Puerto Rico, artist and filmmaker Darice Polo traces her family’s ensuing migration, as well as the fateful connections between Ohio and Puerto Rico at the turn of the 20th century. A series of drawings, prints and video accompany the essay to highlight the intersection between personal and collective history.
https://www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/intervenxions/seeds-of-colonialism-ohio-forces-in-puerto-rico
Commons and Commoning, Video Art & Experimental Film Event, SEA Foundation, Tilburg, The Netherlands, 23-25 September 2021 | 7-11 pm | free entry | Tivolistraat 22 5017HP | Walk-in cinema with 22 short films in program themed ‘Commons and Commoning.’
PLAYUELA, Director, Darice Polo, 2021
Playuela addresses the illegal pursuit of commercial development along the Aguadilla coast of Puerto Rico. Throughout its 520 years as the oldest colony in the world, the Puerto Rican people have engaged in a long history of survival strategies to combat European colonialism, US imperialism, neoliberalism and disaster capitalism. Continuing this engagement, Pocho and co-activists in Puerto Rico have set up campsites along Playuela beach to physically prevent commercial developers from illegally breaking ground to build a large resort and casino.
an ahistorical dream, the 14th A.I.R. Biennial, A.I.R. Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, curated by Jasmine Wahi, Holly Block Social Justice Curator at the Bronx Museum of Art. January 8, 2021 to March 14, 2021. An A-Historical Daydream takes place in both A.I.R. Gallery’s exhibition space at 155 Plymouth Street, as well as online in the form of a video program.
An A-Historical Daydream investigates the slipperiness of linear time across a variety of both parallel and intersecting histories. Histories are often singular narratives: they are agendized and unbalanced, and often promote a binary idea of ‘us vs them’ or ‘conqueror and conquered.’ This exhibition invites artists to consider the idea of time, history, and future in new and radical ways. Some artists in the exhibition explore the possibilities of reimagined histories and presents based on a radical imagining of ‘what could have been.’ Others look staunchly towards a future that is largely untainted by our scorched cyclical pass.
BRONX, Director, Darice Polo, 2020
Bronx is a video short that celebrates Puerto Rican life and culture in the titular New York City borough, as well as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a Bronx native. The work combines early analog film of Polo’s family living on Prospect Avenue and in the Bronx River Houses with present day scenes of civil rights lawyer Ted Shaw speaking with recent Cardinal Spellman High School graduates about having met their keynote speaker, Justice Sotomayor. Polo’s video concludes with footage from Justice Sotomayor’s 2009 confirmation hearing, during which she was forced to defend a statement she made in a speech in 2001: “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
American Quarterly, “Midterm Evaluations, Swing State Aesthetics,” by Harrod J. Suarez, Volume 72, Number 1, March 2020, pp. 207-220.
“Midterm Evaluations, Swing State Aesthetics,” by Harrod J. Suarez is a comprehensive discussion of the Seeds of Colonialism prints and the video short Pedro R. Vélez Interview, that were exhibited in the Ohio Artists for Freedoms exhibition at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio in 2018.
A Hopeful Gesture, 2018 Creative Time Summit at the Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, Poland, screening on Saturday, November 17, 2018 from 12 to 6 pm.
“The videos presented in this exhibition provide complex and nuanced perspectives; gestures of hope, protest, and deep questioning that are found within this shifting landscape. Circling around the general themes of this years’ Creative Time Summit: borders, identity, the anthropocene, and justice and subjugation, the eight participating artists manage these ideas in ways that are playful and sobering, sometimes occupying both simultaneously.”
Ohio Artists for Freedoms at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Pearlman & Convergys Galleries, Cincinnati, OH from August 31, 2018 to September 21, 2018, opening reception, Friday, August 31 from 4 – 8 pm.
The Ohio Artists for Freedoms exhibition is part of a For Freedoms’ national initiative. For Freedoms is a platform for greater participation in the arts and in civil society. It produces exhibitions, installations, public programs, and billboard campaigns to advocate for inclusive civic participation. Founded by Hank Willis Thomas and Eric Gottesman, For Freedoms Federation encourages new forms of critical discourse. Their mission is to use art as a vehicle to build greater participation in American Democracy.
Town Hall Panel Discussion:
Ohio Artists: Tools for Freedoms Darice Polo is a participant in this panel discussion, which is concurrent with the exhibition Ohio Artists for Freedoms.
Location: Art Academy of Cincinnati, Lecture Hall, 1212 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Dates: September 6, 11 – 12:30 pm
Full Fathom Five at Progressive Art Collection Galleries, 300 N Commons Blvd Mayfield Village, OH 44143 from September 6, 2018 to August 31, 2019, opening reception, Thursday, September 6 from 6 – 8 pm.
“‘Full Fathom Five’ is a peer-selected invitational exhibition of 30 artists working in Northeast Ohio whose artworks collectively demonstrate the depth of studio strategies at work in our coastal region.
Beginning with six artists in a group we named ‘Fathom One,’ we asked each artist to nominate another artist working in our region whose work they admire, but whom they did not know well. This created a second group of six artists that we named ‘Fathom Two.’ The nominating process continued until we reached five full fathoms totaling 30 artists.
The democratic, artist-driven design of ‘Full Fathom Five’ has generated an illuminating and remarkable mapping of art produced in our region. The full-scope process from seed idea discussion to exhibition realization has been for the staff of the Progressive Art Collection an extraordinary uplift and an unforgettable experience. We hope you enjoy navigating the depth and breadth of this exhibition.” —Progressive Art Collection
https://www.fullfathomfiveshow.com/#/polo/
SFAI140 presentation and exhibition at the Santa Fe Art Institute, in Santa Fe, NM on March 23, 2018 from 7 – 8 pm.
SFAI140 is a quarterly event in which artists, members of the community and leaders of cultural organizations discuss ideas and projects in lightning-fast presentations: 20 speakers each with seven slides at 20 seconds per slide (for a total of 140 seconds). The impetus behind SFAI140 is to create a dynamic, engaged evening where SFAI’s gifted artists-in-residence talk about their work alongside dedicated members of the Santa Fe community.
First 100+ Days at Spaces Gallery in Cleveland, OH from May 5, 2017 to June 30, 2017, opening reception Friday, May 5, 2017 from 6 – 9 pm.
First 100+ Days is an exhibition comprised of Ohio-based artists’ responses to the initial phase of Trump’s term, specifically with regard to his immigration policy. The artworks feature stories from immigrant and refugee communities in the US, address the practical application of this administration’s direction, consider how the media influences our political discourse, and capture the radical potential of artistic activism. The hard-hitting and varied responses from artists living in a strategically positioned swing state will be supported by a timeline of actions taken since January 20, 2017 to introduce, enact, and protest changing immigration policy during this time of political urgency and uncertainty.
WVIZ/Ideastream, interviewed by Carrie Wise and shown on the public TV program Applause on April 27, 2017 in anticipation of the First 100+ Days exhibition at Spaces Gallery.
http://www.ideastream.org/news/ohio-artists-respond-to-trumps-first-100-days/
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, “Spaces Takes On Trump’s 100 Days” by Steven Litt, May 5, 2017
Seeds of Colonialism at Some Time Gallery in Cleveland, OH from January 6, 2017 to January 31, 2017, opening reception Friday, January 6, 2017 from 5 – 8 pm.
Seeds of Colonialism is a solo exhibition of silk-screened prints by Cleveland-based artist Darice Polo. The prints consist of a series of statements made by US government officials following the takeover of Puerto Rico in 1898 at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. Seeds of Colonialism is a community-based project meant to engage the Puerto Rican community and bring awareness to the greater Cleveland community of the origins of Puerto Rico’s relationship with the US. Visitors to the gallery will be invited to anonymously comment on these statements at the opening of the exhibition and throughout the month of January to be presented to the public at the exhibition’s closing on January 28, 2017.
Some Time Gallery will be open on the following dates throughout the month of January from 12 – 5 pm. The artist will be present during viewing hours.
Saturday, January 7th
Friday, January 13th
Saturday, January 14th
Friday, January 27
Exhibition closing is on Saturday, January 18, 2017 from 2 – 5 pm.
CAN Journal, “Digging Up The ‘Seeds of Colonialism'”: Darice Polo at Some Time Gallery,” by Brittany Hudak, January, 27, 2017
http://canjournal.org/2017/01/digging-seeds-colonialism-darice-polo-time-gallery/
Migration at West Virginia University Laura Mesaros Gallery from October 13, 2016 to November 11, 2016, opening reception Thursday, October 13, 2016 from 5 – 7 pm. Lecture will begin at 5 pm in Bloch Learning and Performance Hall of the Creative Arts Center with reception to follow. The event is free and open to the public.
Migration is a solo exhibition of Darice Polo’s work that explores the history of the Puerto Rican diaspora in New York over a period of 16 years.
2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship
Darice Polo is a Creative Workforce Fellow. The Creative Workforce Fellowship is a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, made possible by the generous support of Cuyahoga County residents through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Latino Art of the Midwest: Into the 21st Century at University of Dayton Roesch Library Gallery, Dayton, OH from February 4, 2016 to March 22, 2016, opening reception Thursday, February 4, 2016 from 4 – 6 pm.
Latino Art of the Midwest: Into the 21st Century presents powerful works of art, including prints, paintings, sculpture and video, which address themes of political representation, equal opportunity for education and jobs, as well as broad civil and human rights. Curated by art historian Judith Huacuja, the featured artists from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin aim to foster understanding of local Latino histories in regional and national contexts.
FLUID 2015 at Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY from May 2, 2015 to December 13, 2015, opening reception Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 12 – 4 pm.
FLUID 2015 is a signature exhibition series of diverse art works that explore the theme of water. The FLUID exhibition series was created to explore the trend by contemporary artists to interpret environmental issues. It was also inspired by the symbiotic relationship of Snug Harbor and water. Guest Curator, Jesse Hamerman, is the Director of Exhibits for the Public Art Fund, which presents the work of contemporary artists in public spaces in New York City.
Process + Material at Hedge Gallery, 1300 D, West 78th Street, Cleveland, OH from February 20, 2015 to April 3, 2015, opening reception Friday, February 20, 2015 from 5 – 9 pm.
Process + Material is a multi-media exhibit featuring artists whose focus is on the development of work through a variety of mediums and creative practices.
@ Infinitum (Create+Lead+Learn) is an educational cultural exchange project between Kent State University in Kent, Ohio and Hebei Normal University in Hebei, China. It will highlight the work of 36 university faculty members from various schools and colleges at Kent State University and three provinces in China.
The exhibition will be featured at the University Gallery at Hebei Normal University from May 23, 2014 to May 24, 2015 and the Kent State University Museum from July 23, 2015 to July 10, 2016.
Paperworks at Heights Arts Gallery, 2175 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH from September 7, 2012 to October 20, 2012, opening reception Friday, September 7, 2012 from 6 – 9 pm.
Curated by Andrea Joki, the theme of the exhibition is “on or about paper,” and highlights Northeast Ohio artists working rigorously with drawing, collage, cut paper, pulp, and more. The show coincides in its closing days with the International Association of Hand Papermakers (IAPMA) and Friends of Dard Hunter conference hosted by Cleveland’s Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Education Foundation.
The Drawing Center Viewing Program Artist Registry (2012)
http://www.drawingcenter.org/viewingprogram/portfolio2f78.html?pf=9497
The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster Street, New York, NY, 10013
Drawing Muchness, group exhibition of drawings at the UNF Gallery, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL from February 3 to March 2, 2012, closing reception Thursday, March 1, 2012.
Artful Teaching: Work by College and University Painting Faculty at the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH from November 3, 2011 to January 8, 2012, opening reception Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 5 – 7 pm.
Curated by Dominique H. Vasseur, curator of European Art at the Columbus Museum of Art, the exhibition offers viewers a unique glimpse into the legacy of Ohio arts by highlighting the work of 12 painters who teach in Ohio institutions of higher education. As educators, these artists provide the link between the present and the future of arts in Ohio.
“As this exhibition’s goal is to present the work of painters teaching in Ohio’s many institutions of higher education, it is maybe appropriate to begin these remarks with a paraphrase of a well-known adage: ‘Behind every great artist is a great teacher,’ ” says Curator Dominique H. Vasseur. “Artistic talent is a gift, but raw talent is little without training and guidance. The best painters are those who have learned through their professors as well as the art of the past.”
Curator discusses Darice Polo’s work on the Ohio Channel
Through a Glass, Darkly, solo exhibition of paintings and drawings presented at William Busta Gallery, Cleveland, OH from February 11 to March 26, 2011, opening reception Friday, February 11, 2011 from 5 – 9 pm.
The paintings and drawings in Through a Glass, Darkly refer to 8mm film stills of a family outing to the Statue of Liberty in 1958. The translation of these images into paintings and drawings seize poetic movements of form that depict a transitory past and an extended narrative in time. In this work the artist examines her cultural heritage through the filter of American society and asks us to re-examine the Statue of Liberty as an icon of the 21st century.
http://www.williambustagallery.com/
Shades of Gray: Drawings in Graphite, group exhibition presented at the University of Mary Washington, Ridderhof Martin Gallery, Fredericksburg, VA from January 21 to February 25, 2011, with a preview reception Thursday, January 20, 2011 from 5 – 7 pm.
A lecture by Joann Moser, Senior Graphics Curator, Smithsonian American Art Museum will accompany the exhibition. Her lecture, “Why Draw” will discuss the various reasons why artists draw, citing examples from the SAAM collection and placing in context the drawings of the Shades of Gray artists.
Why Draw?
Joann Moser, Ph.D., Senior Curator of Graphic Arts
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Shades of Gray: Drawings in Graphite
Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, at 2 p.m.
Intense Concentration, group exhibition presented at the University of Texas, San Antonio, Main Art Gallery from January 13 to February 14, 2010, opening reception 6 – 8 pm.
The wide-ranging exhibition curated by Scott A. Sherer, UTSA associate professor of art and art history, features seven nationally known artists who explore the medium of drawing in styles ranging from the representational to the abstract and in scales ranging from the intimate to grand, wall-size pieces.
http://www.utsa.edu/today/2010/01/intense.html
San Antonio Express-News, “Drawings as ‘finished’ artwork” by Steve Bennett, January 29, 2010
21st International, group exhibition presented at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ from February 9 through March 30, 2007, opening reception, Friday, February 9, 2007.
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, statement for the “21st International” by Laura Hoptman, 2007
Laura Hoptman discusses contemporary art and talks about the drawing Theresa 1948, which she selected as Best in Show. Hoptman is senior curator at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York.
The Star Ledger, “International Exhibit Lives Up to Its Name” by Dan Bischoff, March 2, 2007
Recent Work, solo exhibition of paintings and drawings presented at Raw & Co Gallery, Cleveland, OH from September 8 through October 8, 2006, opening reception Friday, September 8, 2006 from 6 – 9 pm.
Cleveland Free Times, “Drawing on the Past” by Douglas Max Utter, September 6, 2006
http://douglasutter.com/daricepolo.html
Hopscotch: Associative Leaps in the Construction of Narrative, group exhibition with drawings presented at Painted Bride Gallery, Philadelphia, PA from February 15, 2002 through March 16, 2002.
Philadelphia Weekly, “Talking Outside the Box” by Roberta Fallon, February 13, 2002