The exhibition presents poetic and emotional cartography, memories, and memories from the place where the poet, writer, and journalist, Ricardo Len Pea Villa, (Medellin Colombia). He lived and died in New York. Rebuild spaces of “Umbrella House,” testimonies, memories of so many friends from all over the world who visited the poet and left their mark on its walls, one of the most beautiful and culturally important places in Loisaida Manhattan East Village, New York NYC,
Elisa Merino in this exhibition consists of different pieces and begins by making access with the door of the poet 3D, pasted the poster of Che held by rehabilitated woods, “Casa Tomada”, houses since abandonment and speculation, stating that social-cultural revolution and fighting for peace that Ricardo Len made in East Village in New York, by the 1970s he fought for these buildings to shelter many immigrants. From an allegory of the orange wall installed in the gallery space, it can be written on it. The mystique and faith that were also part of the life of the “Poe” are symbolically reflected with the installation of an “Altar in Spring” personal photographs souvenirs, a sculpture of the dog “Tango”, the Virgin, a crucifix in the light of the candle, and a rosary that was not missing in his house.
To talk about Ricardo is to mention the umbrellas, the entire facade of the Loisaida building in New York, is full of his painted umbrellas “Umbrella house”, which the poet expresses as a symbol, emotional architecture, welcome to people traveling homeless, the installation of umbrellas painted with texts Say, New York, LA, “Tango” (Tango name of his dog) and other writings, “Poets in New York”.
A large painted cloth “Cartography of Poets in New York,” carries photographs of the Poets in New York, a foundation created by Ricardo Len. They are itineraries, meeting places of the cultural revolution in New York.
“Tiras a Ricardo” is a part expressed with different techniques on paper, ink, photography, painting, and drawings, in 50 drawings. The texture of the plant paper of cassava and pita, a hard and delicate paper that allows the artist to embroider with water leaving the text embossed on the portrait of the poet, “I have been spider” or phrases of Ricardo Len’s poetic work, names, significant words, words that he always repeated “cold sad Sunday, Medellin, New York “Carlos Gardel lives in Guarne”, “Stories of the Cold”.
Elisa Merino’s video of Ricardo collects sequences of her talks about poetry at home with friends, celebrating and sharing emotional moments.“Umbrella House / this house is the last stop in the sky / as fifteen or twenty blocks remains Wall Street / the first stop of hell.”