In the gig economy many artists work multiple jobs. Grimaldi Baez works about seven, most of them in the community art realm, where he teaches and leads projects. For the Yabucoa, Puerto Rico-born, US-raised artist committed to idea of social justice, it makes for an exhausting but fulfilling life. Among other things in this wide-ranging interview, Grimaldi tell us how he relaxes.
Read MoreLanré, who is Yoruba, works with recycled materials and his art communicates a message about our fragile globe being overwhelmed by waste. His sculptures are labor intensive, and here in Philadelphia he worked with North Philadelphia community members in “sewing circles” to fabricate the individual components (he refers to them as “bricks” to build a skyscraper) that will go into his big new sculpture, which debuts on Friday. The piece is a memorial to loss, which is experienced in a personal way by all.
Read MoreA small temple in honor of the late Hector “Macho” Camacho, a Puerto Rican boxer from San Juan who always stayed close to his community, has been erected at Napoleon gallery in Philadelphia. Their latest outing, A Cemi Waste of Macho Time: something for us to believe in is the first installation piece by Philadelphia artist Grimaldi Baez. While the installation is open to interpretation, it immediately struck me as a place of mourning and remembrance of a great spirit.
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