IMAGINO LUEGO EXISTO

Óscar Berrío

June 14 - August 18

Opening Reception: June 14, 6-8PM 

N.A.ME,  a Bed-Stuy creative co-op and culture lab, announces the debut solo exhibition of Óscar Berrío, IMAGINO LUEGO EXISTO (I imagine therefore I am). This exhibition marks the grand opening of our venue and will be on view from June 14 through August 18, 2024. 

Óscar Berrío's journey as a visual artist began in video art, where he gained recognition and was chosen for SXSW’s experimental short film selection. His transition from video to traditional art forms has seen him immerse himself in the practices of coloring, drawing, and painting. Berrío's works are influenced by nature, poetry, teaching, New York City and his hometown, Manzanares, Caldas, Colombia. Most of his prolific graphic work was conceived and created during his commutes on the train. His rooftop garden in Bed-Stuy has also served as a sanctuary where his pictorial works have taken shape.

The exhibition's centerpiece is comprised of two triptychs (a selection from a much larger hectaptych series, “IN THE NAME OF THE EARTH”) rendered in black, white, and red. These works explore themes in a distinctive neo-rupestrian style through archaic, archetypal, and symbolic imagery. The first triptych delves into spirituality, nature, and the power of imagination, while the second addresses the carnivalesque dynamics of New York City living, social and cultural turmoil, corporate dominance and late-stage capitalism. 

These images compel the transformation of the viewer into an explorer of meaning, forms, and relationships that exist within the confines of a single image and those that are strung together between them. 

Central to the exhibition is a large mural painted directly onto the gallery’s interior wall, serving as a bridge between the triptychs. This synergy creates an immersive experience, blurring the boundaries between the art and the gallery space. As an appendix to the show, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the smallest installation-like-art-store in the world.

Berrío anticipates that visitors to IMAGINO LUEGO EXISTO will experience a renewing and enriching painting experience that will ignite memory and imagination.

IMAGINO LUEGO EXISTO will be on view from June 14 to August 18, 2024. Join us for the opening reception on June 14, from 6-8 PM, to celebrate this groundbreaking exhibition.

N.A.ME (meaning: not about me) is a cultural lab resourcing creatives with the means to create work, share their craft, and give back in the process. Address: 94 Saratoga Ave, Brooklyn NY 11233 | Instagram: @_not.about.me_