VISUAL CLAVE
50
Years of Latin Album Cover Design
Visual Clave documents the little known evolution of ‘Salsa
Graphics’ and the expression of Latino identities through the
prism of album cover art over half a century of music packaging and
graphic design.
This exhibit explores the evolution of Latin music album cover
art over the last 50 years,paying critical attention to issues of identity and
aesthetics through depictions of Hispanic people and cultures, with an emphasis
on historical context and the unsung graphic artists who helped present Latin
music — and its attendant socio-cultural themes — to the world. Visual Clave’s
premise is that the record jacket is not just an ephemeral mass-produced object
to be relegated to the trash heap of a bygone era, but rather a unique 12 by 12
inch window onto a culture’s soul.
The concept of “clave” is essential to understanding
Afro-Antillean popular music forms and the dance culture that surrounds it, and
is therefore a perfect metaphor for describing Latin album cover art. Clave is
the African-derived 2-3 or 3-2 beat used in almost all genres of Latin music.
In addition, the claves are the wooden percussion sticks used to mark these
syncopated time signatures and as an instrument date from the time of slavery
and colonialism. Therefore both the beat and the instrument can be seen as a
potent symbol of Hispanic cultural identities and practices. Clave as a concept
is the ‘key constant’ through all these different genres of music and different
national narratives, and this exhibit is the vibrant visual manifestation of
this cultural heritage, full of variety and consistency at the same time, just
like Latin music itself.
ONE EXHIBIT, TWO SHOWS
New York City, especially the
area of Spanish Harlem and the boroughs of Brooklyn and The Bronx, are all
locations central to the type of Latin music known as salsa so it is fitting
that Visual Clave is being exhibited in two of these locations. Each gallery
features original album art (paintings, photographs, sculpture, and layouts) as
well as LP covers from the golden era of Latin vinyl. But each show is also
unique and concentrates on different facets of the music and history, with an
emphasis in each on the particular location of the gallery. Be sure to see
both! Openings feature DJs playing rare Latin records followed by special
events: live music, lectures, and discussions.
Here are some pics from the Bronx opening:
Classic work by Charlie Rosario
Bobby Sanabria and Izzy "Mr. Salsa" Sanabria
Izzy and his Dalíesque painting for Ray Barretto
Bobby Sanabria and Orlando Marín
Lee Marshall (rt) talking about photograhing for Fania
Benjy Meléndez of The Ghetto Brothers
Charlie Rosario with his work
The Ghetto Brothers (2 generations)
Izzy saved this painting from the closet at Fania HQ.
And here are some shots from the Brooklyn opening:
Izzy "Mr. Salsa" Sanabria
Audience watching Izzy Sanabria's presentation
Yogui Rosario, Charlie Rosario, Jason Youvert
Charlie with the sculpture he made and set on fire for Orquesta Cimarrón.
Charlie Rosario shows off his covers all in a row.
Yogui points to one of his collage pieces (Uptempo by Tito Rodriguez).
Chico Álvarez and Jason Youvert
Johnny Pacheco by Jorge Vargas
Album cover section titled "Raíces / Roots" (inkjet on roll)
Izzy "Mr. Salsa" Sanabria with former Latin New York magazine staffers
Héctor Aponte, Chuckie López (RIP) Pablito Rosario, Jason Youvert (RIP)
Pablito directs the "Brooklyn Salsa All Stars" descarga session
Chembo Corniel
Bongohead and Jose Conde
Brooklyn Salsa All Stars
John Zervos, Charlie Rosario and Karen Joseph
For more
information go to: www.bronxmusic.org and www.pf-gallery.com or
visit: peaceandrhythm.com or visit them on
Facebook.
VISUAL CLAVE: BRONX
BRONX
MUSIC HERITAGE CENTER LAB
1303
Louis Niné Boulevard, Bronx NY 10459
OPENING:
June 5, 2015 - 5:00 PM
Featuring a Multi-Media
presentation by “Mr.Salsa” Izzy
Sanabria, and DJ Turmix, Andujar and Bongohead playing classic Latin vinyl.
Also:
August 14, 6:00 PM:
Lecture
on the history of Fania Records by Joe Conzo, Sr.
August
14, 7:00 PM: plus concert by salsa orchestra
(TBA).
Exhibition
dates: June 5 - August 15
Gallery hours:
Monday – Tuesday
– Thursday: 4:00 – 7:00 PM; Saturday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
VISUAL CLAVE: BROOKLYN
PICTURE
FARM GALLERY
338
Wythe Ave., Brooklyn NY 11211
OPENING:
June 6, 2015 - 5:00 PM
Featuring
MC “Mr.Salsa” Izzy Sanabria and live music by Ola Fresca “Unplugged”
with Jose Conde, followed by Pablito “El Indio” Rosario and the Brooklyn
All-Stars, plus DJ Turmix, Andujar and Bongohead playing classic Latin vinyl
Also:
June 13, 7:00 PM:
A Multi-Media Presentation by “Mr.Salsa” Izzy Sanabria, performance by Charlie Rosario and Los
Rumberos Callejeros and guests
Exhibition
dates: June 6 - July 5
Gallery
hours:
Monday – Friday: 11:00 – 6:00 PM;
Note:
week-night viewing hours can be scheduled per need, supervision and office
availability.
All events are FREE and open to the
public.
Made possible by The Bronx Music
Heritage Center and Picture Farm Gallery.
Izzy "Mr. Salsa" Sanabria
Pablito "El Indio" Rosario
Jose Conde
Charlie Rosario
