From January 17 to February 5, 1981, as part of the tripartite exhibition “Events: Fashion Moda, Taller Boricua, Artists Invite Artists,” the New Museum presented an installation of works curated by arts organization Taller Boricua. In keeping with the exhibition format of the Events series, the New Museum reversed standard museum procedure by asking artists’ groups to organize and present their own exhibitions, thereby relinquishing curatorial control over its gallery space and the publication of the accompanying catalogue.

An artist-conceived project, Taller Boricua began with the ideology of creating a community-based cultural center in 1969 for the purpose of promoting Puerto Rican culture and esthetics. Its presence in the community has served as a vital resource for those seeking to discover the origins of their cultural heritage as well as a means of creative expression.

“In a contemporary painting tradition, we have embarked on the task of developing a contemporary art esthetic of individual merit, nourished on Taine/Afro/Hispanic traditions,” as well as the social climate prevailing in Puerto Rico and the United States.