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Allora & Calzadilla

Through a complex research-oriented practice, Allora & Calzadilla critically address the entanglements between history, ecology, and geopolitics using a multiplicity of artistic media that include performance, sculpture, sound, video, photography and painting. Their dynamic engagement with the art historical results in an acute attention to both the conceptual and the material, the metaphoric as well as the factual. The Puerto Rico-based artists have studied the ephemeral nature of collective drawing with monumental sticks of chalk at the Biennial de Lima, Peru (Chalk [Lima], 1998–2002); the imprints of colonial, nationalist, and military violence on the diverse populations and landscapes of Vieques, Puerto Rico (Land Mark (Foot Prints), 2001–2002; Land Mark, 2003; Returning a Sound, 2004; Under Discussion, 2006 and Half Mast/Full Mast, 2011); and the resonance of playing, warping and combining music from various moments in history (Clamor, 2006; Wake Up, 2007; Sediments Sentiments- Figures of Speech, 2008; Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on Ode to Joy for a Prepared Piano, 2008; Raptor’s Rapture, 2012; Apotomē, 2013; 3, 2013); as well as the entanglement between biophysics, semiotics and actuality (Growth, 2004; Puerto Rican Light - Cueva Vientos, 2015).

Allora and Calzadilla live and work in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jennifer Allora (b. 1974) received a BA from the University of Richmond in Virginia (1996) attended the Whitney Independent Study Program (1998) and received an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003); Guillermo Calzadilla (b. 1971, Cuba) received a BFA from Escuela de Artes Plásticas, San Juan, Puerto Rico (1996) and an MFA from Bard College (2001). Collaborating since 1995, Allora & Calzadilla were finalists for the Hugo Boss Prize (2006) and the Nam June Paik Award (2006). Select recent solo exhibitions include; ‘Klima’, Azkuna Zentroa, Bilbao, Spain (2024); ‘Entelechy’, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto, Portugal, (2023), ‘Allora & Calzadilla Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on „Ode to Joy” for a Prepared Piano’ Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, (2022), 'Specters of Noon', The Menil Collection, Houston, TX, USA (2020); 'Chalk', Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA (2019); 'The Tropical Pharmacy', Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain (2019); ‘Hope Hippo’, Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City, Mexico  (2018); Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona, Spain (2018); 'Blackout', MAXXI, Rome, Italy (2018); ‘Allora & Calzadilla: Echo to Artifact’, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (2016); ‘Puerto Rican Light (Cueva Vientos)’, a DIA Art Foundation Commission in Guayanilla/Penuelas Puerto Rico (2015); ‘Intervals’, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA (2014); Kaldor Public Art Projects, Sydney, Australia (2012); Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, USA (2012); ‘Performance 9: Allora & Calzadilla’, MoMA, New York, NY, USA (2010); ‘Allora & Calzadilla Gloria’ U.S Pavillion 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale Di Venezia, Venice Italy (2011),The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Norway (2009); Temporäre Kunstalle Berlin, Berlin, Germany (2009); ‘Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on Ode to Joy for a Prepared Piano’, Haus der Kunst München, Munich, Germany (2008); ‘Never Mind that Noise you Heard’, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2008); ‘Clamor’, Serpentine Gallery, London, United Kingdom (2007); Kunsthalle Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (2007); ‘Wake Up, The Renaissance Society’ at The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, US (2007); Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK (2007); and ‘Land Mark’, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France (2006). 

They have participated in various biennales, such as the 56th and 51st Biennale di Venezia International Art Exhibition, Venice, Italy (2015, 2011, 2005); the 10th and 7th Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, South Korea (2014, 2008); the 9th and 6th Mercosul Biennial, Porto Alegre, Brazil (2013, 2007); the 30th Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana Slovenia (2013); dOCUMENTA (13), Kassel, Germany (2012); the 12th and 10th Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey (2011, 2007); the 29th and 14th Biennial de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (2010, 1998); 16th Biennale of Sydney, Australia (2008); the 9th Biennale de Lyon, Lyon, France (2007); the 1st and 2nd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia (2005, 2007); the 14th, 13th and 8th Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (2019, 2017, 2007); the 2006 Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum, New York, NY, USA (2006); the 2nd Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China (2005); the 6th Dakar Biennale, Dakar, Senegal (2004); the 3rd Biennale Iberoamericana, Lima, Peru (2002); and the 7th Biennial de la Habana, Havana, Cuba (2000). They are the recipients of other prizes, including DAAD, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (2008-2009); the Gwangju Biennial Prize (2004); Penny McCall Foundation Grant (2003); Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (2002); and the Cintas Fellowship (2002-2001). 

Puerto Rican Light (Cueva Vientos)

Allora & Calzadilla
Puerto Rican Light (Cueva Vientos)

2015
Dan Flavin, Puerto Rican Light (To Jeannie Blake),1965, red, pink, and yellow fluorescent lights, 96
inches high: Solar powered batteries and inverter.
Installation view; El Convent natural protected area, Guayanilla-Penuelas, Puerto Rico.
Commissioned by Dia Art Foundation, New York

Puerto Rican Light (Cueva Vientos)

Allora & Calzadilla
Puerto Rican Light (Cueva Vientos)

2015
Dan Flavin, Puerto Rican Light (To Jeannie Blake),1965, red, pink, and yellow fluorescent lights, 96
inches high: Solar powered batteries and inverter.
Installation view; El Convent natural protected area, Guayanilla-Penuelas, Puerto Rico.
Commissioned by Dia Art Foundation, New York

Penumbra

Allora & Calzadilla
Penumbra

2020
Projected digital 3D animation, synch with sun path, sound, continual loop.
And Graft (Tabebuia heterophylla), 2022
Recycled polyvinyl chloride and paint, dimensions variable.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Penumbra

Allora & Calzadilla
Penumbra

2020
Projected digital 3D animation, synch with sun path, sound, continual loop.
And Graft (Tabebuia heterophylla), 2022
Recycled polyvinyl chloride and paint, dimensions variable.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Blackout

Allora & Calzadilla
Blackout

2020
Power Transformer, Bronze, Electricity, Vocalist.
10 ft. 1⁄2 in. x 7 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 1 in.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Blackout

Allora & Calzadilla
Blackout

2020
Power Transformer, Bronze, Electricity, Vocalist.
10 ft. 1⁄2 in. x 7 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 1 in.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Blackout

Allora & Calzadilla
Blackout

2020
Power Transformer, Bronze, Electricity, Vocalist.
10 ft. 1⁄2 in. x 7 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 1 in.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Blackout

Allora & Calzadilla
Blackout

2020
Power Transformer, Bronze, Electricity, Vocalist.
10 ft. 1⁄2 in. x 7 ft. 4 in. x 7 ft. 1 in.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary
Art, Porto.

Puerto Rican Light

Allora & Calzadilla
Puerto Rican Light

1998
Dan Flavin Puerto Rican Light (to Jeanie Blake), 1965, red, pink, and yellow fluorescent lights, 48
inches high: Solar-gel batteries and panels, charge controller, inverter/charger, cables; solar energy
collected in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy,
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto.

Cadastre, (Meter Number 18257262, Consumption Charge 36.9kWh × $0.02564, Rider FCA-Fuel Charge Adjusted 36.9kWh x $0.053323, Rider PPCA-Purchase Power Charge Adjusted 36.9kWh × $0.016752, Rider CILTA Municipalities Adjusted 36.9kWh × $0.002376, Rider SUBA Subsidies $1.084)

Allora & Calzadilla
Cadastre, (Meter Number 18257262, Consumption Charge 36.9kWh × $0.02564, Rider FCA-Fuel Charge Adjusted 36.9kWh x $0.053323, Rider PPCA-Purchase Power Charge Adjusted 36.9kWh × $0.016752, Rider CILTA Municipalities Adjusted 36.9kWh × $0.002376, Rider SUBA Subsidies $1.084)

2019
Iron filings on linen
6 ft. × 70 ft
Installation view
The Menil Collection, Houston

Petrified Petrol Pump

Allora & Calzadilla
Petrified Petrol Pump

2012
Fossil-filled stone
5 ft. 4 in. x 8 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 8 in

Petrified Petrol Pump

Allora & Calzadilla
Petrified Petrol Pump

2012
Fossil-filled stone
5 ft. 4 in. x 8 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 8 in

Entelechy

Allora & Calzadilla
Entelechy

2020
Coal, Vocalist
14 x 31 x 48 ft
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary

Entelechy

Allora & Calzadilla
Entelechy

2020
Coal, Vocalist
14 x 31 x 48 ft
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary

Entelechy

Allora & Calzadilla
Entelechy

2020
Coal, Vocalist
14 x 31 x 48 ft
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Specters of Noon, The Menil Collection, Houston

Graft (Tabebuia Chrysantha)

Allora & Calzadilla
Graft (Tabebuia Chrysantha)

2019
Recycled polyvinyl chloride and paint
Dimensions variable
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Specters Of Noon, The Menil Collection, Houston.

Intervals

Allora & Calzadilla
Intervals

2014
Reconfigured Acrylic Lectern and Edmontosaurus Annectens Ischium
7 ft. 6 in. x 7 ft. 5 in. x 2 ft. 1 in.
Installation view of Allora & Calzadilla: Entelechy, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto.

The Great Silence

Allora & Calzadilla
The Great Silence

2014
Single Channel HD video
Color Sound
16:32

Exhibitions

  1. Allora & Calzadilla: Gǎnyìng - past exhibition

    Allora & Calzadilla: Gǎnyìng

    24 February – 13 April 2024

  2. Selected Works in Seoul - past exhibition

    Selected Works in Seoul

    2 September – 10 September 2023

  3. Matter as Actor - past exhibition

    Matter as Actor

    3 May – 24 June 2023

  4. Selected Works - past exhibition

    Selected Works

    16 February – 24 April 2021

  5. FOCUS: Allora & Calzadilla, Electromagnetic Field - past exhibition

    FOCUS: Allora & Calzadilla, Electromagneti...

    21 October – 2 November 2020

  6. Horizon - past exhibition

    Horizon

    6 October – 31 October 2020

  7. Allora & Calzadilla: Foreign in a Domestic Sense - past exhibition

    Allora & Calzadilla: Foreign in a Domestic...

    22 September – 11 November 2017

  8. Allora & Calzadilla: Vieques Videos 2003-2011 - past exhibition

    Allora & Calzadilla: Vieques Videos 2003-2011

    23 November 2011 – 14 January 2012

  9. Perplexed in Public curated by Elena Crippa and Silvia Sgualdini - past exhibition

    Perplexed in Public curated by Elena Cripp...

    13 June – 20 July 2008

  10. Allora & Calzadilla - past exhibition

    Allora & Calzadilla

    10 October – 17 November 2007

  11. Allora and Calzadilla: Unstable Atmospheres - past exhibition

    Allora and Calzadilla: Unstable Atmospheres

    1 May – 29 May 2004

Shop

  1. Vieques Videos 2003–2010

    Vieques Videos 2003–2010

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