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Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas

Location

Space

Dates

A vertical portrait of a person whose face and neck are covered in white pigment. Their head and face are tightly bound in a grid-like "trap" or cage made of pink and black braided fabric. The subject looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression against a plain white background.
A small, square photographic print mounted on a thick, textured block, which sits on a thin white shelf against a plain white wall. The image depicts a calm blue sea in the foreground and a dark, low-lying landmass or island under a pale blue sky with light clouds. The texture of the block gives the photograph a weathered, stone-like appearance.

Artists

Travel Details

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
August 20, 2027–February 6, 2028

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
San Francisco, California
March 17–August 13, 2028

Newark Museum of Art
New Jersey
September 28, 2028–February 18, 2029

Selected Works

Zilia Sánchez

An abstract, three-dimensional painting on a dark navy blue circular or oval-shaped canvas. The surface features several protrusions resembling breasts or cones. Thin, gestural white lines are "tattooed" across the surface, connecting the different raised forms in a constellation-like pattern.

Juan Sánchez

A vibrant mixed-media collage on a dark background. It features a repetitive grid of small photos showing a figure wrapped in a Puerto Rican flag. On the right, a large orange arched window contains the silhouette of a hand. The piece is overlaid with colorful graffiti-style text in Spanish and English, along with images of US dollar bills.

Teresita Fernández

A large-scale wall installation consisting of a long, horizontal, jagged black form that resembles a mountain range or a series of islands seen from a distance. The material appears textured and charcoal-like, with small pieces hanging down like stalactites against a clean white gallery wall.

Gamaliel Rodríguez

A stylized painting of a light blue church with a central bell tower, framed by two tall, white palm trees. The surrounding foliage and sky are rendered in muted, smoky tones of purple, brown, and grey. The bottom of the image has a rough, unfinished quality with visible drips and blocks of dark color.

Martha Atienza

A vibrant film still showing a festival or parade in the Philippines. A man in the center, shirtless and wearing a golden crown and grass-like headpiece, smiles with his arms outstretched. He holds a religious figurine. He is surrounded by a crowd of cheering children and townspeople on a dirt road.

Roldy Aguero Ablao

A close-up photograph of a person with blue-tinted skin, looking upward. They are draped in a heavy, bright red fishing net. Digitally overlaid across the image are numerous colorful, glowing starbursts or firework-like patterns in shades of yellow, pink, and green.

Sherwin Rivera Tibayan

A collage of nine images against a light gray background. It features portraits of a Filipino man in everyday life and in his Navy uniform, photos of his suburban home and garden, and framed group photos of Navy sailors. One image shows a watermelon carved with "Happy 4th 2011."

Sherwin Rivera Tibayan

A collage of twelve images continuing the biographical theme. Highlights include a hand pointing to a yearbook photo, a red sports car in a decorated garage, a retirement letter signed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and various domestic scenes of the man gardening and relaxing at home.

Gisela McDaniel

A large-scale, expressive painting of a nude Indigenous woman sitting confidently in a tall wicker "peacock" chair. She has long dark hair and red markings on her face, holding a dark blade across her lap. A blue cloth with bright red hibiscus flowers is draped over the back of the chair. The background features tropical palm fronds and a pinkish sky, while the floor is a messy, dark-brown texture. Small pieces of real jewelry and fabric are attached to the edges of the canvas.

Roquin-Jon Quichocho Siongco

A vertical photograph taken from a high angle, showing a headless, nude person with tanned skin lying in a fetal position on a woven tan mat. The person is adorned with intricate orange shell jewelry across their torso and hip. Surrounding them on the mat is a symmetrical and extensive collection of Indigenous jewelry, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets made of shells, bone, and dark wood, arranged like a museum display or an anatomical study.

Exhibition Texts

Explore

Installation Views

  • A white gallery wall features a large, light beige arch painted across it. On the left inside the arch, green text reads, "Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas." To the right, a dark square artwork with white line drawings and protruding black cones hangs at eye level alongside two wall labels.
  • An expansive, brightly lit gallery features a wide beige stripe wrapping around white walls, with dark sofas on grey tiled floors facing artworks. On the far right wall, a large photograph depicts a person sitting on a rocky shore beside deep blue water, while a pile of colorful candies sits in the far corner.
  • Two large, colorful textiles hang side-by-side from the ceiling above a low white platform in a gallery with light wood floors. Each textile features a white center bordered by dark trim and holds a bold circular emblem incorporating island imagery, including the Guam seal on the left and the Puerto Rican flag on the right.
  • A large textile featuring a vibrant, multi-colored circular geometric design hangs in the foreground of a gallery space with light wood flooring. In the background along white walls, several artworks are displayed, including wall panels with text, mixed-media pieces, and a colorful figurative painting.
  • A large wall hanging with a round, grey, map-like shape on a soft purple background anchors the foreground of a gallery with light wood floors. In the adjoining room beyond, a red textile piece and a series of blue, vertical abstract artworks are displayed along white walls.
  • Two semi-transparent white garments—a full-length jumpsuit and a two-piece outfit—hang suspended above a low floor tray filled with sand-like material. They are displayed against a dark navy wall alongside wall text and a framed black-and-white artwork.
  • In a gallery space with light wood floors, a projector video display on a dark wall shows a silhouette outline carved in earth filled with bright red liquid. Adjacent white walls feature text panels and a row of framed blue abstract artworks extending down the corridor.
  • A large artwork composed of six vibrant, pastel-toned panels displaying layered tropical landscapes hangs on a white gallery wall. In the background, light wood floors extend toward adjoining gallery spaces, including a dark wall displaying a row of small, framed images.
  • Along a dark grey gallery wall, seven glass sculptures shaped like traditional swords are mounted horizontally in a row on dark plaques. In the background, a white wall features a large dark green arch with text in beige lettering.
  • In a high-ceilinged gallery, a large wall installation composed of colorful ceramic tiles forming an arch and surrounding figures fills a white wall. Nearby, a visitor stands observing the display, while a balcony above holds hanging garments and a wide blue-and-white photo mural.
  • A open gallery with light wood floors displays a complex mixed-media sculpture seated on a low white pedestal. Above, a long blue-toned photographic mural spans an upper balcony wall, while a large video screen built into a black partition rests in the background.
  • A low white pedestal in a gallery with light wood floors holds an intricate, seated assemblage sculpture crafted from wood, textiles, and found objects. On the white wall behind it, a textured black abstract sculpture stretches horizontally like a mountain range or coastline.
  • A large projection screen built into a dark wall displays a video of an iguana on a concrete surface beside a round opening. Along the adjacent white wall, framed prints, collages, and a poster are mounted above light wood flooring.
  • In a spacious gallery with light wood floors, a dark central wall holds a digital screen displaying a portrait in vibrant pink and blue tones. In the background, additional artworks are visible, including a lush green painting, wall text, and a sculpture on a white pedestal.
  • A white gallery wall titled "Prácticas alimentarias / Foodways" displays a large portrait photo of a young boy wearing a gold pendant on the left, and two paintings showing dining and kitchen scenes on the right.
  • A framed, close-up color photograph of a young boy with short dark hair wearing a thin gold chain necklace hangs on a white gallery wall. A small white wall label is positioned to his right, and faint gallery reflections appear on the protective glass.
  • In a gallery space with light wood flooring, a white wall displays a framed painting depicting a blue church framed by palm trees. To the left, a dark embroidered artwork showing a landscape hangs beside an entrance lead-in covered with wallpaper depicting a tropical coastline.
  • A visitor stands in an immersive hallway where the floor, walls, and ceiling are covered in large-scale photo-collages of tropical coastlines and lush green rainforests. At the end of the corridor, a white wall features a dark green arch painted with text.
  • A dimly lit gallery wall features an illuminated, dark-toned artwork flanked by text panels. On the left wall, green text titled "Creencias isleñas / Island Beliefs" is displayed, while a small white pedestal with a sculptured object sits nearby on the light wood floor.
  • A large video screen mounted on a dark partition projects a scene of a crowd with a man raising his hands in celebration. To the right of the screen, text titled "Creencias isleñas / Island Beliefs" appears on the wall, and an organic black wall sculpture hangs in the background.
  • A gallery room featuring a large, dark-toned artwork flanked by bilingual text panels on a white wall. To the left, green wall text titled "Creencias isleñas / Island Beliefs" introduces the section, and a small white pedestal stands near the light wood floor.
  • A dark green arch painted on a white wall displays text in Chamorro, leading to an adjacent dark wall with a large black-and-white photograph of a boat's wake on open water. A low display case sits along the far left edge over light wood flooring.

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Zilia Sánchez, Lunar negro con tatuaje, 1975. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Foreground: Amber Robles-Gordon, Guam Political and Puerto Rico Political II, 2021. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. From left: Thea Canlas, Export Quality (Value Studies: Uniforms), 2023, and Stephanie Syjuco, Afterimages (Obstruction of Vision), 2021. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Reynier Leyva Novo, The desire to die for others (El deseo de morir por otros), 2012. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. From left: Daniel Lind-Ramos, Vencedor: 1797, 2018–19, and Teresita Fernández, Archipelago(Garland), 2020. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. From left: Miguel Luciano, Plátano Pride, 2006, and Maia Cruz Palileo, Still Life with Banana Catsup, 2014, and The Old Table, 2014. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. From left: Edra Soto, Happy Hour, La Hora Feliz, 2020, and Enzo Camacho and Ami Lien, Social Volcano (restless waves), 2024. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Camille Hoffman, Tabi tabi po (with respect) a pardon for our ways, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Freedom Trap, 2013. Photo: Art Index

Installation view of Imagining an Archipelago: Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Their Diasporas, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine, 2026. Photo: Art Index

Catalogue

Poster with peach-colored text over a blue textured background and island shoreline reads, "Imagining an Art from Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Archipelago and Their Diasporas"

2024 Convening

Two people walk away from the camera down a dirt and gravel path on a sunny day, heading toward a coastal village. The path is flanked by dense green bushes and low vegetation. In the distance, several white and gray New England-style houses and buildings sit on a grassy landscape next to a body of water under a bright blue sky. One person wears a blue shirt and carries white bags, while the other wears an orange cap and a brown backpack.

Judith Escalona, Imagining an Archipelago: Islands Project Convening, August 7–9, 2024, 2025. Video (color, sound, 20:07 min.) Courtesy the artist