The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), the nation’s longest running active arts advocacy organization for Latino actors, is proud to present “Re-imaginings,” a photographic art exhibit, in conjunction with the HOLAfestival series of staged play readings. Both the photographic exhibit and the staged play readings feature and showcase the talent of HOLA members and both will take place at the Abrazo Interno Gallery located at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center (CSV), 107 Suffolk Street (between Rivington and Delancey streets) in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center Inc. is a Puerto
Rican/Latino cultural institution whose mission is focused on the cultivation, presentation, and preservation of Puerto Rican and Latino culture. “Re-imaginings” in conjunction with the HOLAfestival is an official event of the NYC Latin Media & Entertainment Week (October 3-9, 2011).
The opening reception for the photo exhibit and staged play readings will take place on Monday, October 3, 2011 at 6pm. The gallery is open to the public from 3:30 pm to 10pm daily and admission to both the photo exhibit and staged readings is free, although reservations for the staged readings are preferred. For more information, or to RSVP, call HOLA at (212) 253-1015 or go to www.hellohola.org.
The HOLAfestival was originally created in 1983 and ran until 1990 as a series of theatrical productions and musical evenings featuring HOLA members. In 2011, HOLA decided to revive the HOLAfestival as a series of staged play readings by HOLA member-playwrights and featuring HOLA members in each cast. The playwrights for the 2011 HOLAfestival, curated by HOLA Associate Director A.B. Lugo (http://about.me/ablugo), include Lina Gallegos, Mel Nieves, Tere Martínez, Anthony Ruiz, A.B. Lugo and Oscar A. Colón. A full schedule of the readings is attached.
“Re-imaginings” is a photographic exhibit that takes iconic television cast images and “re-imagines” them showing Latino actors from HOLA’s ranks as part of the re-imagined cast. The exhibit’s unifying theme is that of visualizing a world where Latino actors were already more fully integrated into the mainstream entertainment culture, as they have been into the nation’s population. The duplication of iconic cast images for such shows as “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “All in the Family,” and “Sex and the City,” among others, strikes a visual chord of familiarity while also serving to show how seamlessly a Latino actor could be integrated into the various shows’ universal themes of the human experience. “Re-imaginings” was
conceived by multi-media writer and producer Maria Nieto (http://about.me/MariaFernandaNieto) and is jointly curated by Ms. Nieto along with the exhibit’s photographer Luis Carle (www.LuisCarle.com) and HOLA (www.HelloHola.org).
ABOUT LUIS CARLE: New York based artist-photographer Luis Carle, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, studied photography at Parsons School of Design and worked as artist and photographer’s assistant to various well-known photographers. In 1992 Carle invited a group of highly gifted Puerto Rican artists and friends to form O.P. Art, Inc. (Organization of Puerto Rican Artists, Inc.) The not-for-profit, run by artists collective, supports the work and vision of emerging artists. Carle’s work has been published in several publications and has been used commercially in advertising.
ABOUT HOLA: HOLA is an arts service and advocacy organization dedicated to expanding the presence of Hispanic artists in entertainment and media through the cultivation, education and recognition of emerging artists. HOLA strives for an accurate, informed and non-stereotyped portrayal of the full spectrum of Latino culture and heritage in all entertainment and media industries.
ABOUT A.B. LUGO: A.B. Lugo is the Associate Director of HOLA. He is also an actor, writer, director and producer. As a playwright, his works include Banjee, Branches, Geneva, Stardumb, Ramble, Cater Waiters, The Valley is Green, Manchild Machismo and Field of Blood. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous plays, films and TV shows. As a poet, he has performed all over the NYC metropolitan area, North Carolina and in Puerto Rico. His work has been published in various literary journals and, most recently, in the poetry anthology Me No Habla With Acento (edited by Emanuel Xavier) published by El Museo Del Barrio and Rebel Satori Press.
ABOUT MARIA NIETO: Maria Nieto is a Colombian-American writer and event & multi-media producer based in New York City. Her digital media work includes being the co-founder of www.LatinosInEntertainment.com and serving as a producer on the web based comedy series “Days of Joy with Gene Moonfeather.” Her film production credits include the short film Lousy in Love and the feature film A Song and A Prayer as well as its accompanying soundtrack of original Gospel music. She is the Executive Producer of the 2011 HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit( .
“Re-Imaginings” Photo Exhibit
Abrazo Interno Gallery, 107 Suffolk Street, 2nd Floor, NYC
On view from 3:30pm to 10:00pm
Free admission
