Dhara Rivera
Vega Baja, PR, 1952
Biography Details
Sculptor, installation artist, draftswoman, ceramicist. Rivera obtained a bachelor's degree in humanities from the University of Puerto Rico in 1971 and another in sculpture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 1979. In 1981 pursued independent studies at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. She obtained her master’s degree in sculpture at Hunter College in NYC in 1983. Since 1977 she has taken part in a number of group and solo shows, and she received the Casa Candina Prize (with Carlos Collazo and Adriana Mangual) at the First Biennial of Contemporary Puerto Rican Ceramics in 1988. In 2000 she received a grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation. She has represented Puerto Rico in events such as the Havana Biennial (2000) and in such art fairs as ARCO in Spain (1997). Her most recent work has explored the dichotomy between exterior and interior spaces, freedoms and boundaries, and the ambiguities between reality and imagination. In pursuing her artistic aims she skillfully combines elements to produce hybrids that point to multiple simultaneous references.
Artist Statement
"The look, rather than form or topic, is what drives my work. A certain look: the one that stops at what is the boundary, the edge, that place or moment always elusive and uncertain. That precise point where one thing turns into its opposite, or simply into another thing. They always go together, fascination with the challenge of capturing the unattainable, by capturing a possible stable order, and the acknowledgement of the futility of the effort. Hence the underlying tension to the work.
Cosimo, from the Baron in the trees by Calvino, is my favorite representation of that evanescent point of view: fled to the trees for ever but with his social conventions in display. It is not, says Cosimo, what makes the novel. It is his in between status, self-imposed and invented, what matters, and what he questions. It is proposal and inquiry on itself.
I agree with his platform.
Therefore, my work, in particular, develops through the juxtaposition of dissimilar materials, in the creation of hybrid forms or in the construction of dialogic spaces receptive to game and the unexpected-controlled. In short, in everything where you can introduce the pursuit of the 'Fulcrum' phantom, of that imagined and impertinent middle."
Dhara Rivera, 2007
Formation
Education
2001-2002
- First-year of doctoral credits, Public Space Program, Urban Regeneration, Art and Society. The University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2002
- First-semester landscaping degree. The Polytechnic University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
1983
- Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture major. Hunter College, New York, United States
1980
- Independent Studies Program for Young Artists. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, United States
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, major in Sculpture and Drawing. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, United States
1973
- Bachelor of Humanities. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Professional Experience
2004
- Senior Citizens Art Instructor. Vida Plena, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico
1995 - 1999
- Professor of Ceramics, Sculpture and Design. Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1986-1988
- Professor of Ceramics, Sculpture and Design. Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1981 -1983
- Resident Artist. In charge of developing an Art Program, PS 50 Elementary School, Studio in a School Program, Brooklyn, New York, United States
1980-1981
- Cultural Workshops Instructor for bilingual schools. Natural History Museum, Caribbean Division, New York, United States
1974-1975
- Ceramics Instructor. Art Students League, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2019
- Abra Pasaje, Museo de la Puntilla, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Devolución, Museo Ballajá, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Devolución, Liga de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Cosiendo agua- iteración, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Palingenesis, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2013
-
Río y respiro, (Parte I), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Group Shows
2007
- Contexto puertorriqueño: del rococó colonial al arte global, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005
- Galería Petrus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- IOCARE: Juego de juegos, Public Art Project, Escuela L.Muñoz Rivera, Gurabo, Puerto Rico
- A Flight of Sound, Art for the World, Geneva, Switzerland
2003
- IOCARE: Juego de juegos, Escuela L. Muñoz Rivera, Cayey, Puerto Rico
2002-2003
- Áreas de juego, Public Art Project, Parque Laguna del Condado, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- IOCARE: Juego de juegos, Public Art Project, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- La Casa Encendida, Madrid, Spain
2001
- ART MIAMI, Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Miami, Florida, United States
2000
- Bienal de la Habana, Havana, Cuba
- Conflicting Evidence, (La sala de espera), Sculpture Garden,
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Un oasis en el desierto azul, Fundación Miró, Espai 13, Barcelona, Spain
1999 - 2000
- Exhibición itinerante Más allá de las colonias, Museo Extremeño e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporáneo, Valencia, Spain
1999-2000
- El subterráneo y el jardín (del ciclo Un oasis en el desierto azul), Espai 13, Fundación Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain
1999
- FIAC, Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Paris, France
- Museo Fundación Felisa Rincón de Gautier, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- BUCARABU, Parque de juego, San Juan Municipality Public Art Project, Plaza del Indio, Condado, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1998
- Exhibición Espacios en transición, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1997
- Inflexiones, Galería Luiggi Marrozzini, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- ARCO: Feria de Arte Contemporáneo, Luiggi Marrozzini, Gallery, Madrid, Spain
- Dhara Rivera e Inés Aponte: Dos Propuestas, Sala de Exhibiciones Luis E. Chardón, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
1996
- Direcciones, Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Maletas culturales, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Arqueología del espejo, Luigi Marrozzini Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Instalaciones para la casa, Museo Casa Roig, Humacao, Puerto Rico
- Un Marco por la Tierra, Museo Sofía Imbert, Caracas, Venezuela
1995
- The Passport Show, Kenkeleba Gallery, New York, United States
1994
- Ex Libris: el libro como propuesta estética, Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1993
- Rompeforma, Performance, Teatro Julia de Burgos, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Pequeño formato 93, Luigi Marrozzini Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- El color de lo urbano, Capitol Building, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería Leonora Vega, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1992
- Amor y terror de la palabra, Museo de Arte e Historia, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Pequeño formato 92, Luigi Marrozzini Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- 5 en 3D, Galería Raíces, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1991
- Colección Casa Candina, Museo de Arte e Historia, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- La Caja, Galería de Cerámica Contemporánea, Casa Candina, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1990
- Festival Anual del Arte, Galería Botello, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1989
- Apóstrofe al verde, Casa Candina, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1988
- Exhibición Colectiva de Pintura y Escultura, Galería Latinoamericana, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Primer Bienal de Cerámica Contemporánea, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1987
- Studio in a School, Just Above Midtown Gallery, New York, United States
- Images and Identities, Robeson Center Gallery, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, United States
1985
- The far seeing towers, Hunter Arts Gallery, Hunter College, New York, United States
- 1982
- Intercambio, Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico / Cayman Gallery, New York, United States
- Construcciones, Liga de Estudiantes de Arte, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Habitat, Cayman Gallery, New York, United States
1980
- Sculpture Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, New York, United States
1979
- Misterios, Galería Moriviví, New York, United States
1978
- Miniaturas, Galería Manos, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2019
- Dedication in Muestra Nacional. Art Gallery of the Instituto de Cultura Puertoriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2017
- Artist Residency. Guapamacátaro Art and Ecology, Maravatío, Michoacán, Mexico.
2015
- Artist Residency. Aldo & Leonardo, El Yunque, Puerto Rico
2004
- Guest Artist. Khoj International Artists Residence, Delhi, India
2000
- Merit Grant. Joan Mitchell Foundation Grants for the Arts, New York, United States
1998
- Award for Best Installation, Maquinolandera. Internation Association of Art Critics, Puerto Rico Chapter, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1988
- First Prize. Primera Bienal de Cerámica Contemporánea de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1983
- Distinguished Student Award. DC Horowitz Award, Art Departmentt, Hunter College, New York, United States
1977
- First Prize in Drawing. Revista Sin Nombre, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1974
- First Prize in Contemporary Ceramics. Certamen Anual de Arte, Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Collections
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Bibliography
Books
Roulet, Laura. Contemporary Puerto Rican Installation Art, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Editorial de la Universidad.
Catalogues
Espacios en transición, Transición en espacios, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1998.
Zayas, Antonio. Puerto Rico 00 (paréntesis en la ciudad), M&M Proyectos, 2001
“Amor y Terror de la Palabra: Obra en medios mixtos de Dhara Rivera.” Museo de Arte e Historia, San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayo 22-junio 22 de 1992.
“Dhara Rivera: El soterrani i el jardí.” Espai 13, Barcelona, España, 1999-2000.
“Inflexiones: Dhara Rivera.” Luigi Marrozzini Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico, mayo a junio de 1997.
“U/Topistas: estudio para proyectos contemporáneos.” Galería M&M art projects, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Newspapers
Alegre Barrios, Mario. “Un espacio vivo.” El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 22 de octubre de 1998.
Álvarez Lezama, Manuel. “Espacios paves the way for even greater shows.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 29 de octubre de 1998, p. 45.
Álvarez Lezama, Manuel. “Good installations enlighten, inspire and stimulate.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 24 de octubre de 1998, p. 42.
“Art to become brief spectacle at the Museo de Arte.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 23 de octubre 1998, p. 45.
“Bucabarú en el Condado.” El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 2 de enero de 2000, p. 78.
“Dhara Rivera cuestiona el impacto ambiental en su nueva exposición Aves y agüeros”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 17 de abril de 2021.
https://www.elnuevodia.com/entretenimiento/cultura/notas/dhara-rivera-cu...
De Cuba, Natalia. “Rivera excited over Museo de Arte exhibit.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 1998.
De Cuba, Natalia. Comienza ‘Espacios en Transición’.”” El Star (San Juan, PR), octubre de 1998, p. 45.
De Cuba, Natalia.”From a rough, unfinished real to art.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 1 de octubre de 1998, p. 51.
De Cuba, Natalia. “Step in, browse and step out.” The San Juan Star (San Juan, PR), 23 de octubre de 1998. p. 45.
De Cuba, Natalia. “Inusual exhibición en el MAP.” El Star (San Juan, Puertp Rico), 1 de octubre de 1998, p. 51.
“El sótano y el jardín.” El Vocero (San Juan, PR), 12 de octubre de 2000, p. E29.
Rodríguez, Jorge. “Exposición en el Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.” El Mundo (San Juan, PR), 26 de octubre de 1998.
Rodríguez, Jorge. “Espacios en Transición.” El Vocero (San Juan, PR), 12 de octubre de 1998, p. E-16.
Magazines
Bagarrán, Paco. “Espacios en Transición – Transición en espacio, un proyecto de Michelle Marxuach para el Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.” Noticias de Arte/ Art Notes, Inc. (Nueva York, EU), num. 265,1998.