Wilfred Labiosa was a pioneering Nuyorican artist, educator and cultural visionary born in Harlem, NY (1937-2015) to Puerto Rican parents. His work and teaching left an indelible mark on Puerto Rican and Caribbean art history.
The Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts is honored to feature the wide range of art mediums of five decades of Labiosa’s career in the upstairs galleries. “Labiosa: A Retrospective” is a diverse exhibit with an opening reception on Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., which will also honor Virgin Islands Puerto Rican Friendship.
The artist Labiosa loved jazz and CMCArts is proud to honor him with a cadre of St. Croix’s finest jazz musicians: Marsvyn David, Elvis Pedro and Dimitri “Pikey” Copemann. Complimentary small bites will be served.
Tickets can be purchased at the CMCArts website for $10 per person and $5 for members. Tickets and memberships may also be purchased at the door.
The exhibition is organized by Galeria W. Labiosa, the Labiosa family and the artist’s son, Wilfred Labiosa. This showcase at CMCArts is the first venue in a worldwide tour. Labiosa will be in attendance for the reception to honor his father.
“I think of CMCArts as my extended family, so it is important for the museum to be the first venue,” Labiosa shared with the Source. The exhibition will close Nov. 8 on St. Croix and will travel to Chicago, New York, Spain, San Juan and Japan, he said. “The exhibition will personally bring closure to my father’s passing and will honor his memory. Collectors love his art and this is a way for them to look at pieces they have never seen before. The family has gifted one piece to CMCArts for their Permanent Collection,” Labiosa said.
The artist Labiosa studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the School of American Arts in New York and the Inter American University in Puerto Rico. His wide range of mediums encompasses textiles, book covers, sculptures, paintings, animation and fine china.
One special artpiece of the artist Labiosa is a shirt he was commissioned to create for the owner, at the time, of the Lord & Taylor department store in New York City. The original art was a mural by Labiosa for the NY Pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair, which was ultimately created into the shirt. It depicts little vignettes of New York, including the Guggenheim Museum and many other icons.
Labiosa vividly retells the story of his older sister, who was a bumblebee ballet dancer in the NY Pavilion at the time of the 1964 World’s Fair. She was just a toddler and he had not been born yet, he said with loving amusement.
The six upstairs galleries show Labiosa’s work divided into significant parts of his artistic life, CMCArts executive director Lisa Mordhorst shared. Some are dedicated to his life in New York and New England, specifically the Boston area. Mordhorst explained that some earlier pieces are of Old San Juan. She described the 1964 World’s Fair shirt as “magical.”
“His affection lies with Old San Juan, so most of his work and life is reflected in those images. I was especially moved by his images of El Yunque National Forest. There are many street scenes from Old San Juan,” Mordhorst delighted in sharing.
“Impulsivismo” [Impulsive] is a series of natural landscapes, abstracts and vibrant quick sketches that have evolved – like Fishes in the Night, Human Struggle and Bird Struggle, Mordhorst observed. “You can feel the emotion in the brushstrokes and the drawing strokes,” she noted. Some are almost impressionistic. “The impulsive part is that the artist allowed himself to be free,” Mordhorst interpreted.
“It is really an honor to be hosting the show and to be the first venue in this traveling retrospective. We are grateful for our friendship and connection with the artist’s son, Wilfred Labiosa, who has been involved with CMCArts almost eight years now, with his volunteerism as the board of directors treasurer. It’s an honor to tell the story of his father who was an incredibly dedicated artist and educator. He really spent a lot of time with underserved kids in areas that are underserved – making sure he shared the power of art with the world and with young people,” Mordhorst said.
A print catalog of Wilfred Labiosa’s work is available for purchase.
“Labiosa: A Retrospective” in the CMCArts Upstairs Galleries,
Sept. 6 – Nov. 8.
Museum Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information:
cmcarts.org
Call: 340-772-2622
