Jorge "Rito" Cordero
Lares, PR, 1982
Biography Details
Sculptor and performer. Graduates from high school in 2000 and in 2001 begins to study for a Bachelor's degree with a concentration in sculpture at Escuela de Artes Plásticas in old San Juan. In 2003 wins First Prize in the VI Sculpture Competition from Escuela de Artes Plásticas in San Juan, with the work "Crucisentado". In 2004 obtains the Annual Exhibition Award with the sculpture "Sirena Centenario a Neruda". That same year he was part of a selection of ten students that traveled to the ARCO art fair in Madrid. In 2005 he concludes his Bachelor's degree in sculpture with the work "Colecticleta la Habanera" becoming the first student in the history of the institution, to perform said Bachelors in 4 years. In 2008 the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico awards him the UBS Prize and acquires "Colecticleta la Habanera" sculpture. He is mainly recognized for his sculptures composed of bicycles.
Artist Statement
Meticulously conceived and constructed with great honesty and professionalism, the artist’s work, always original and visually challenging, is the result of an extraordinary education that began during his childhood. Rito’s father is a respected bicycle and automobile mechanic, and Rito learned this trade as a child, a skill that was later put to good use when he studied under sculptors/professors Adelino González and Linda Pintor, developing a unique discourse.
Source: Álvarez Lezama, Manuel. Solo Show, Jorge “Rito” Cordero, Galería Yemayá. ArtNexus, 2010
Formation
Education
2005
- Bachelor's in Art, concentration in sculpture. Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2007
- Cemiareito, Caguas, Puerto Rico
2006
- Flexigrafiando: Cuadernos de Cárcel de Elizam Escobar, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Group Shows
2012
- Interconexiones: Lecturas curatoriales de la Colección del MAPR, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Feria de Arte Sonoro, La Respuesta, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Festival de Cine, Galería Yemayá, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 100 imágenes de Corretjer en el tiempo, Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Salitre, Galería Yemayá, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Después del llanto, Galería Guaitibirí, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2007
- Carrocaravel: Homenaje a Carlos Raquel Rivera, Grito de Lares, 23 de septiembre, Lares, Puerto Rico
- El Pulpo, Galería Nacional, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Circa 07, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- ARCO 07, Madrid, Spain
- Hoy, Black Box, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2006
- Tráfico pesado, Galería 356, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Crucisentado, ARCO, Madrid, Spain
- Circa 06, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Muestra Nacional de Artes Plásticas, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Tráfico pesado, Galería 356, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005
- Exposición de Graduandos, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Exposición Anual de Estudiantes, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2008
- UBS Award. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Award. Annual Students Exhibition, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2003
- First Prize. VI Sculpture Competition, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Collections
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte Moderno, Dominican Republic
Bibliography
Newspapers
Ayala, Hermes. “100 años y contando: respira Corretjer en el arte joven”. Dialogo (San Juan, PR), enero-febrero 2009.
Delgado Figueroa, Elaine. “Generoso el 2005 en la plástica”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 2 de enero de 2006.
Escribano, Rosa. “Atrévete a hacer una carrera en el arte”. Primera Hora (San Juan, PR).
Meléndez, José Ramón. “Ule”. Claridad, En Rojo (San Juan, PR), 21 al 27 de septiembre de 2006.
Pérez Rivera, Tatiana. “Solos y diversos en CIRCA”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 24 de mayo de 2006.
Magazines
“En su espacio”. ArtUpdate (San Juan, PR), Núm. 2, Noviembre 2009.
Damaris, Hernández. “UBS y el MAPR premian la colecticleta”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 25 de octubre de 2008.