Artist in front of his Art for Amtrak Public Artwork. Portrait by David Plakke.

David Rios Ferreira

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My abstract drawings, sculptures, and installations merge historical etchings, political cartoons, and children's coloring books, remixing these sources to create temporal beings. Rooted in my Puerto Rican identity, the work reflects the impact of U.S. deculturalization efforts on children in Puerto Rico. I draw inspiration from the children in my life, including my nephews on the autism spectrum, who imitate dialogue from their favorite cartoons to connect with the world. Similarly, Caribbean carnival costumes transform the familiar. Practitioners utilize everyday objects to create spiritual beings and instruments to address social and political issues. Through this framework, my creations act as vessels for imagined histories, reflecting how the body interprets and transforms historical memory.

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David Rios Ferreira has exhibited widely in the U.S. and internationally, with solo shows at Morgan Lehman Gallery (NY), Wave Hill (Bronx), Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (VT), and Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake City). He has held residencies at the Lower East Side Printshop and Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts and participated in the Bronx Museum’s AIM program. Public art commissions include Art at Amtrak, MTA Art & Design, and New York Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art. Awards include a National Association of Latino Arts & Culture Fund grant to name a few. Rios Ferreira earned his BFA from The Cooper Union.

Model Citizen or Come Mierda, 2020, Watercolor, ink and collage on paper, 18 X 24 inches. Photograph documentation by Morgan Lehman Gallery, NY.
Model Citizen or Come Mierda, 2020, Watercolor, ink and collage on paper, 18 X 24 inches. Photograph documentation by Morgan Lehman Gallery, NY.
Como hacer un FALN, after Jimenez, 2024, Image transfer and graphite on drafting film, 40 x 25 Inches. Photograph documentation by Etienne Frossard.
Como hacer un FALN, after Jimenez, 2024, Image transfer and graphite on drafting film, 40 x 25 Inches. Photograph documentation by Etienne Frossard.
La Llorona de Río Bucaná, 2018, Gouache, screen printing ink, and collage on paper, 44 X 61 inches. Photograph is courtesy of the artist.
La Llorona de Río Bucaná, 2018, Gouache, screen printing ink, and collage on paper, 44 X 61 inches. Photograph is courtesy of the artist.
La Llorona de Río Bucaná, 2018, Gouache, screen printing ink, and collage on paper, 44 X 61 inches. Photograph is courtesy of the artist.
La Llorona de Río Bucaná, 2018, Gouache, screen printing ink, and collage on paper, 44 X 61 inches. Photograph is courtesy of the artist.