See You in Florida: A Vene-Rican Odyssey

Curators: Manuel Nazario, Roberto Weil and Miguel Trelles

Artists: Arturo Yepez-Pottier, Gary Javier, Jose L. Diaz de Villegas, Kike Estrada, Mrinali Alvarez, Juan Alvarez O’Neill, Rayma Suprani, Jorge Rafael Calderon, KEKAKO, Rene Juan de la Cruz, Jesus Ortiz Torres, Camdelafu (Camila de la Fuente), Eduardo Sanabria (EDO), JOTA LEAL, Hermann Mejia, Leonardo Rodriguez, Roberto Weil

Dates: November 1st, 2022 - January 8th, 2023

Opening Reception: November 4th, 6 - 10:30pm: Doors open @6pm, 6:30-7:30pm Awards Ceremony , 8:30-10:30pm Live Music

Gallery: LES & Abrazo Galleries at The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center

“See You in Florida: a Vene-Rican Odyssey” invites visual artists to explore, through caricature, illustration, drawing or painting, the causes, vicissitudes, challenges and triumphs of the Puerto Rican and Venezuelan diasporas in terms of their exodus from Venezuela, Puerto Rico and New York to Florida. At a time when even North Americans themselves do not cease to succumb to the tropical charm of “Sagüesera Mayamera", the Borimix 2022 art show wants to highlight how Venezuelans and Boricans have visibly increased their presence in multiple cities throughout the state of Florida. While many come to Miami directly from the towns and cities of Puerto Rico and Venezuela, others who had already settled in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, are leaving in increasing numbers for Kissimmee Florida, Jacksonville and other cities. It is clear that the current circumstances of departure, while sharing a certain urgency to LEAVE, reflect different discontents,

In the case of the Venezuelans, the discontent stems in large part from the erosion of the social order in Venezuela in favor of a political-military monopoly that is unable to disguise the prevailing and crushing precariousness in a Latin American country that, until not so long ago, had been prosperous and influential in Latin America and the rest of the world.

As for Puerto Ricans, the grief stems from Puerto Rico's increasing wear and tear due to economic bankruptcy, natural disasters, and distrust of honesty in distrust in the honesty of government officials. In this scheme of things, New York, as a traditional point of arrival for Puerto Ricans and a coveted location for many Venezuelans, comes to the forefront. Venezuelans, has come to play the role of a "third" point of departure that has also lost its luster. Whether it is because of COVID, the rising cost of living and/or anxiety about the risks of taking the subway, many Puerto Ricans and Venezuelans from New York are also heading to Florida... the new mecca. Every concept is provoked by a form, and what better medium than caricature, accompanied by illustration, drawing and painting to reflect the mercurial eagerness to reach "El dorado" of "La Sagüesera". In these times post COVID, when an odyssey of challenges looms over everyone and, in this case, over the Venezuelans and Puerto Ricans -already Puerto Ricans -either in the country of origin or in these Niuyores-, what better than a little humor... to face the challenges... to face the challenges, to face the challenges.