Edgardo T. Larregui Rodríguez
Bayamón, PR, 1976
Biography Details
Painter, photographer, draftsman and urban artist. Obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Art from Escuela Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico in 2003. Since 1998 he has developed an art project for the youth community in several disenfranchised neighborhoods throughout Puerto Rico, called Coco de Oro. As part of the 1st Biennial of Urban Art "GRAPOPHOLI 2008", he created the 240 feet in longitude mural “Expropiados” (Dispossessed), which runs along the Baldorioty de Castro Avenue outside the Puerto Rico Museum of Art. He was winner of the Third Prize from Certamen de Arte Joven de Oriental Bank dePuerto Rico in 2009. He has exhibited individually in Puerto Rican galleries and has participated in several group exhibits in the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain and England. Larregui works with various mediums like graffiti, painting, drawing and photography to communicate his concerns about the problems of Puerto Rican society.
Artist Statement
His works are situated in between what is visible and what is not. While working in between these spaces he becomes the inquisitor, questioning the ambiguity of this unknown place, since most of the time the invisible or hidden has the power to manipulate.
His works show disturbing situations like the sickness of our society, the abuse of marketing and advertising in our society and the mismanagement of social health (mental and physical). He uses various mediums to get his message across, from graffiti, photography, paintings, and drawings to Coco de Oro, a youth community art project he developed in several disenfranchised neighborhoods throughout the Island of Puerto Rico.
As an artist, he is mostly interested on an exchange of information from the people. He evaluates the effects and impact that his art has in the different types of people and in the whole community and the people who inhabit in it.
His works originate from an individual and the transformation of the individual who is, unknowingly, affected daily by external agents in the environment that try to decrease that individual's natural strength. He works relentlessly everyday so he can help bring a visible and positive transformation to these individuals through his works.”
-Edgardo Larregui, 2013
Source: www.larreguiarte.com
Formation
Education
2003
- Bachelor’s Degree of Art. Escuela Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Professional Experience
1998-present
- Founder. Proyecto socio-comunitario COCO DE ORO, El Cortijo, Bayamón, Puerto Rico y La Perla, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2007- 2008
- Coordinator. La Perla Habla, Proyecto Coco de Oro, La Perla, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2007
- Coordinator. Junte "Hacer pa' Crecer", Parque Luis Muños Rivera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2006
- Coordinator. Los Colores de La Perla, Proyecto Coco de Oro, La Perla, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Coordinator. La Conexión, 1, 2 y 3, Puente peatonal, La Tiendita, parada 22, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- Coordinator. La Marquesina, Proyecto Coco de Oro, Urb. El Cortijo, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
2001
- Coordinator. El Reto del Arroz con Gandules, Proyecto Coco de Oro, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
2000
- Coordinator. Tiza y Grafiti en la 17, Proyecto Coco de Oro, Urb. El Cortijo, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
1994-1999
- Educational work with architectural illustrator Jesús Alberto Trias. Grupo Trias, Puerto Rico
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2010
- Poder Oculto, El Biuti, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2009
- Material Liberado, Galería Yemayá, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Group Shows
2013
- Concrete Illusions, Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center, New York, United States
2012
- Trienal Poligráfica de San Juan, América Latina y el Caribe, Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2011
- Primera Bienal Tropical, Playa Vacía Talega, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Espíritu de Época, Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Canary Islands, Spain
2009
- Scope Art Fair, Galería Yemayá, Miami, Florida, United States
- Muestra Nacional de Artes Plásticas, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- CIRCA,Galería Yemayá, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Galería Blow de la Barra, London, England, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Graphopoli, 1ra Bienal de Arte Urbano, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Feria de Arte del Caribe, Galería Yemayá, New York, United States
2007
- Préndelo en Candela, CIRCA, Fundación Black Box Art, Centro de Convenciones de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2006-2007
- Feria de Cultura Urbana, Tren Urbano, Puerto Rico
2006
- Taxi Galería, Yellow Media Group, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Tributo al Mensajero Proyecto Dr. Recao, M & M proyectos, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2003
- To Be Political it Has To Look Nice, Art in General, Apexart, New York, United States
2002
- Matando al Mall, Installation -Happening, traffic light, Plaza Las Américas, Ave. Roosevelt, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Talleres Coco de Oro, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2001
- Manifiesto Larregui Laguerre, Ventanas CentrodeArte.com, Madrid, Spain
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2009
- Third Place. Certamen de Arte Jóven, Oriental Group, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Collections
- Espacio 1414, Diana & Moisés Berezdivin Collection, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Oriental Group Collection, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Worldwide UnderGround, JP Eaglin Collection,San Juan, Puerto Rico
Bibliography
Catalogues
2da edición, Certamen de Arte joven. Oriental Group, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2009.
Books
Puerto Rico 2000 (Paréntesis en la Ciudad), M&M Proyectos. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico 2002 (En Ruta), M&M Proyectos. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico 2004 (Un Homenaje a Mensajero), M&M Proyectos, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Nogueras, Celina. Frescos: 50 artistas puertorriqueños menores de 35, San Juan, PR: Muuaaa, 2010. pp. 350.
Newspaper
Pérez Rivera, Tatiana. “Los escogidos para Graphopoli”, El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 2 de julio de 2008, pp.64-65.
Rivera, Carlos Rubén. “Grafiti en Vivo”, Primera Hora (San Juan, PR), 10 de julio de 2008, pp.56-57.
Rodríguez, Jorge. “Diversificación de medios en la galería Yemayá”, El Vocero (San Juan, PR), 26 de junio de 2008, pp.67.
Toro, Ana Teresa. “Las divinas impurezas de Edgardo Larregui: El Salpicar de ideas”, El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 13 de junio de 2010, pp.15-19.
Toro, Ana Teresa. “La Perla Habla”, El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 30 de junio de 2007, pp.85.