EMBAJADA is pleased to announce artist Joshua Nazario’s debut solo exhibition, ORO (gold), on view August 28 – October 12, 2024. Oro (gold) challenges the concept of luxury through the juxtaposition of Puerto Rican culture against symbols of opulence and competition. Gold, typically a symbol of status and achievement, is now presented through the beauty of the often overlooked everyday life. The body of work on view was made over the last two years mostly in Nazario’s childhood home in Sabana Grande.

Nazario’s active childhood—ranging from mountain bike races to basketball tournaments and skateboarding has profoundly influenced his artistic approach. This background in competition is reflected through depictions of champion players in various sports, including motorsports. For Nazario, race cars and motorsports not only represent the essence of competition but also embody luxuries that are foreign to his upbringing and culture. In contrast, the luxuries he and those in his community value are found in everyday scenarios, nature, food and people. Nazario often puts himself in the position of the winner and the bearer of luxury as a means to represent those from less affluent backgrounds as champions.

The sculptures on view utilize common materials such as concrete, wood and found materials sourced locally. By repurposing quotidian materials, Nazario creates a dynamic dialogue between tradition and modernity. Nazario also references aspects of popular culture such as “la fiebre”—where common and affordable cars are tricked out with loud pipes and speakers to play a variety of Caribbean genres like reguetón, bachata and salsa. Oro (gold) invites us to reconsider what we perceive as gold—that being through common cultural elements of Puerto Rico, competition and foreign elements of luxury. Nazario taps into our collective memory to relive experiences that are still being experienced to this day.