Carlos Rolón's somber exhibition at 65Grand revisits 1966 Humboldt Park uprising through archival drawings and sculpture
At 65Grand, Chicago multimedia artist Carlos Rolón showcases 'The Division Street Riots,' which delves into the 1966 uprising in Humboldt Park that followed the city’s inaugural Puerto Rican Day Parade, ignited by the police shooting of 20-year-old Arcelis Cruz. Rolón, a Chicago native born in 1970 to Puerto Rican parents, employs graphite and charcoal to create black-and-white pieces inspired by archival images. The exhibition features four dye sublimation prints and a bicycle sculpture named 'Humboldt Park Bicycle,' symbolizing Caribbean ingenuity. Previously known as Dzine, Rolón created elaborate installations, including the 2007 'Pimp Juice' lowrider. Visitors can view the exhibition at 3252 West North Avenue, Chicago, until April 12.
Key facts
- Carlos Rolón's exhibition 'The Division Street Riots' is on view at 65Grand until April 12
- The show references the 1966 Humboldt Park uprising in Chicago that followed the city's first Puerto Rican Day Parade
- The unrest was triggered by the police shooting of 20-year-old Arcelis Cruz and lasted three days
- Rolón was born in Chicago in 1970 to Puerto Rican parents and grew up visiting Puerto Rico
- For this exhibition, Rolón works primarily with graphite and charcoal in a black-and-white palette based on archival photographs
- The show includes four dye sublimation prints created by cropping and enlarging segments of historic images
- A bicycle sculpture titled 'Humboldt Park Bicycle' features television and audio components as a vessel for memory
- Rolón previously worked under the name Dzine, creating ornate installations with Swarovski crystals, mirrors, and gold
Entities
Artists
- Carlos Rolón
- Dzine
- Frank Espada
Institutions
- 65Grand
- The Art Newspaper
- Art Basel Miami Beach
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Humboldt Park
- Puerto Rico
- New York