[Many thanks to AICA Caraïbe du Sud for bringing this item to our attention.] Manny Martorell (Ocean Drive Puerto Rico) Jaime Rodríguez Crespo’s FOTOTAXIAS, which is on view at the Recinto Cerra art space (located at 619 Cerra Street, in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico).

Contemporary art space Recinto Cerra (619 Calle Cerra, Santurce) presents a new proposal by sculptor Jaime Rodríguez Crespo, FOTOTAXIAS.

Fototaxia [phototaxis] is a scientific term to describe how insects are attracted to light, which naturally happens with moonlight or starlight. However, this concept, that implies a sense of natural orientation between nature and its components, has been altered and increasingly substituted by light pollution. When insects are attracted to artificial light, they tend to move in a circular fashion, acting out a terrible crisis of confusion.

For the exhibition entitled FOTOTAXIAS, artist Jaime Rodríguez Crespo has created a sculptural installation starting with the insect known [in Puerto Rico] as “esperanza” [hope] or Tettigoniidae of the Orthoptera family. In some superstitions, this insect is associated with good fortune, good luck, and prosperity, however, it has the bad fortune of being threatened in much of the world due to development.

“With this new project, the artist proposes a critical reflection on light pollution and environmental pollution that, as a result, alters the ecosphere made up of the biospheric organisms and the relationships that are established between them and the environment. On the other hand, he inserts a special concern for a community of insects as a social amulet for understanding the relationship between humans and the universe. So with the significance of running into an ‘esperanza’ [hope] and all that this entails—that is, good luck, prosperity, good fortune—Jaime Crespo leads us to ask ourselves whether there is ‘hope’ in progress or progress in ‘hope,’” explains Karlo Andrei Ibarra—artist, cultural manager, and co-founder of the contemporary art space Km 0.2.

Artist Jaime Rodríguez Crespo studied at the Art League and graduated from the School of Visual Arts [in San Juan, Puerto Rico]. He was the recipient of a prestigious Lexus Scholarship for Artists. He is co-founder of the Car Watch space as well as Recinto Cerra. The artist defines his work at the beginning of his career as abstract and sustaining a language related to evolution; at present this abstract work has become more figurative and has created its own language.

The installation will remain open to the public until the end of the year, and will be open to the public every Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00pm, and by appointment on weekdays. Health and safety measures against Covid-19 will be taken at all times. For appointments, please contact Recinto Cerra at (787) 239-3040.

Recinto Cerra is a self-management space / workshop for the development of independent local and international projects. It is located at Calle Cerra # 619 Santurce PR.

Translated by Ivette Romero. For original article (in Spanish), see http://oceandrivepr.com/arte/fototaxia-la-nueva-propuesta-del-escultor-jaime-rodriguez-crespo/