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ABOUT

Artist-Portrait.jpeg

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an artist from a territory grappling with ongoing colonization, my work delves into identity through the lens of carnival characters. I aim to narrate both individual and collective histories by drawing from ancient performative traditions. These encounters, rooted in ritual, reveal the potential of performance to connect spiritual practices with the contemporary political landscape. I seek to reclaim the unique social disruption that carnival and its characters provide, using them as platforms for expressing our definitions of sovereignty across all dimensions. My practice invites a reevaluation of Puerto Rican traditions, exploring them through the lenses of intimacy, queerness, and our ecological contexts. I strive to create new iconographies that reflect the intersectionalities and complexities of Caribbean cultures, particularly within the framework of collective celebrations. Through the art of disguise, I aim to portray the rich tapestry of identities that define Puerto Rican life today. By engaging with these themes, my work not only honors our cultural heritage but also advocates for a broader understanding of who we are in this ever-evolving narrative.

BIO

Luis Gabriel Sanabria is a dynamic multidisciplinary artist from Puerto Rico. He earned his BA in Acting and Performing Arts and an MA in Cultural Agency and Administration from the University of Puerto Rico. Growing up between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic sparked his early exploration of identity and culture. Since 2014, he has been a vital member of the renowned Bread and Puppet Theater in Vermont, where he works as an artist, performer, instructor, and operations manager. His work with the theater has taken him across the United States, Canada, Central America, and Europe, including notable participation in the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charleville-Mézières, France, in 2019. Luis co-founded the Kuniklo Collective, a multimedia art group that showcased a solo exhibition titled "Bohíque" at the Roberto Paradise art gallery in San Juan in 2016. His most recent solo exhibition, "Carnaval Carnal," was held in 2022 at Souvenir 154 in San Juan. In Fall 2023, he launched an internship program called "Wild Clay Pots," which focused on traditional pottery through a series of workshops culminating in a performance at Moos Space in Berlin. In Winter 2023, he participated in the "Rewilding the Body Eclectic" residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada. In March 2024, he took part in the Casa Muyska residency in Colombia, where he learned to craft ceremonial costumes and masks from natural materials. Looking ahead, Luis is set to join the Puerto Rican Ponce Carnival in February 2025 and will also feature in the group exhibition “El Puente” at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina in Spring 2025.

CV

SOLO WORK

2024

July

 

2024

May

 

2024

March-April

2024

March

2024

January

Sicily Art Program, Collaboration with Santiago Alvarez on Etna Volcano Table Installation piece for Carolina Mazzolari’s Exhibition: “Don’t Look Back Orfeo”, Sicily, Italy.

Master's Degree on Cultural Agency & Administration, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

Casa Muyska Artist Residency Program, Leticia, Amazon and Boyacá, Colombia.

Group Exhibition represented by Souvenir 154 at MECA International Art Fair, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Led a Masks and Costumes Made with Natural Materials Workshop at Casa Muyska, Boyacá, Colombia

2023

December

2023

November

2023

August-November

2023

May

2023

February-April

About Clay 2023, Contemporary Puerto Rican Ceramics Group Show at Souvenir 154, San Juan Puerto Rico.

 

Rewilding the Body Eclectic, Visual Arts Residency at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Alberta, Canada

Wild Clay Pots Internship Project in collaboration with Santiago Alvarez, presented at MOOS SPACE, Berlin, Germany

 

"La Alegradora" (Roaming Installation and Performance), Poncili Creación, Santurce es Ley Mural Festival

 

Led an Experimental Workshop on Vejigante Masks & Photo Performance, Museum of Art of Puerto Rico

 

“El Puente” (Cristina Córdova, Jaime Suárez, Ada del Pilar & Luis Gabriel Sanabria)  Group exhibition curated by Kathryn Gremley, Penland School of Craft, North Carolina, USA.

Vejigante Gigante Project, Carnaval de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Sponsored by Máquina Simple, Beta-Local.

2025

April - June

2025

February - March

2022

September

2022

August-November

“FUTUROS” Exhibition, Festival MixTO, Colectivo Artistas S.O.S., Toronto , Canada

 

 

Carnaval Carnal Solo Show, Souvenir 154, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2021

JUNE

Kuniklo Collective

http://kuniklocollective.com

Museum of Human Achievement, Austin Texas

 "Kvar"

Virtual Performance through video project sponsored by the City of Austin Cultural Funding.

2020

JANUARY

El Cuadrado Gris/ The Gray Square

https://www.facebook.com/pg/elcuadradogris

Barrio Obrero, San Juan Puerto Rico

"Earthquake relief benefit show"

Fundraising performance for victims of the earthquakes in Puerto Rico

2019

SEPTEMBER

Austin Bat Cave's Reading Bus, Bat Mobile.

https://austinbatcave.org/bat-mobile/

Austin TX

Austin Bat Cave partnered with SOMA Small Spaces and Kuniklo Artist Collective to develop a mobile classroom for kids all ages.

2019

APRIL

Fusebox Festival

https://schedule.fuseboxfestival.com/festival/2019-fusebox-festival-hub

The Museum of Human Achivement

"Sez Ono"

An intersectional criminal identity performance disguised as a fashion show

2018

OCTOBER

Resident Artists

http://mexic-artemuseumevents.org/upcoming-events/2018/9/23/austin-museum-day-at-mexic-arte-museum

Mexic-Arte Museum

"Alebrije Dreams"

Month long residency at the museum, culminating in the lead float for the annual VIVA LA VIDA parade

2018

APRIL

Fusebox Festival

The Museum of Human Achievement 

"Viduseksu"

Analogue virtual reality interactive experience. 

2018

MARCH

Titeretada International Puppet Festival.

La Respuesta, San Juan Puerto Rico

"Mortinta Akvo"

Series of performances at the puppet festival.

2017

JUNE

MECA International Art Fair.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/abinlot/2017/06/05/5-things-you-may-have-missed-at-the-inaugural-meca-art-fair/?sh=482312b860a8

San Juan, Puerto Rico

"Psychedelic Teepee"

Installation and performance at the first International Art Fair MECA edition.

2017

APRIL

Centro de Bellas Artes, Sala Experimental.

https://www.casacruzdelaluna.com/eventos-upcoming

San Juan, Puerto Rico

"Hagiografías III"

Intermedia performance and Collaboration with Aravind Enrique Adyanthaya of Casa Cruz de la Luna

2017

MARCH

Titeretada International Puppet Festival.

Museo de San Juan, Viejo San Juan Puerto Rico

Performances for the Cabaret nights of the festival

2017

FEBRUARY

OUTsider Festival of Performance and Art

http://www.outsiderfest.org

Featured Artists, performing "Piñones/Pilones"

2016

AUGUST

OCTOBER

Roberto Paradise, Santurce, Puerto Rico

http://robertoparadise.com

"Bohíque/Visions I, II, II"

Installation of large bamboo and fabric interactive structure and two videos “Pilones” and “Piñones”

2016

APRIL

La Titeretada, International Puppet Festival of Puerto

https://www.facebook.com/Titeretada-143334132390229/

"The Bread Maker"

2016

APRIL

Bronson Music and Art Festival.

https://www.facebook.com/bronsonfest/   

Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

"Bohío"

Interactive installation at music and art festival in Puerto Rico

2016

MARCH

Museum of Human Achievement, South by South West 2016

http://themuseumofhumanachievement.com

Performance series, "Pop-up show with Amanda Palmer" and "Cage Show"

2016

FEBRUARY

Taller Secreto, Rio Piedras.

https://www.facebook.com/TallerSecretoPR/

Puerto Rico

"Chichaíto//Little Fucks"

Installation and video "Organ Grinder"

2015

SUMMER

Ballenarca Tour 

https://www.facebook.com/ballenarcawhaleark/

Collaboration and tour with the Giant Puppet Whale

2015

SUMMER

XARDOX/Gongolo/Clones somos Tour

https://www.facebook.com/zardozpuppet/

https://www.facebook.com/clonesomos/

Collaborative touring show

2016

MARCH

Museum of Human Achievement, South by South West 2016

http://themuseumofhumanachievement.com

Performance series, "Pop-up show with Amanda Palmer" and "Cage Show"

BREAD AND PUPPET THEATER

https://breadandpuppet.org

2019

DECEMBER

Theater for the New City, New York City United States

"The Honey Let’s Go Home Opera & The Diagonal Life Circus"

Two week residency program performing  both shows from Thursday to Sunday.

2019

NOVEMBER

Different cities across Northeastern part of United States

"Diagonal Life Theory and Praxis Fall Tour"

Series of workshops and performances with various communities.

2019

SEPTEMBER

Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, Charleville-Mézières France

“The Honey Let’s Go Home Opera”

Series of performances along with Bread and Puppet Theater and Peter Schumann.

2019

OCTOBER

Michto Festival, Nancy France

"Cardboard Celebration Circus and La Grande Parade"

Month long residency, series of community workshops ending in Bread and Puppet parade and Circus show.

2019

JULY

AUGUST

Bread and Puppet Theater, Glover Vermont USA

“The Diagonal Life Circus and Pageant”

2019

JUNE

JULY

Various towns in Vermont USA

“The Extintion Rebellion Parade”

2019

APRIL

MAY

Different Cities around the Northeast of the United States

"The Diagonal Life Tour"

Series of performances and creative workshops throughout various states and communities.

2019

MARCH

Centro arte para la paz, Suchitoto, El Salvador

Two week residency program with community workshops, the building of a parade and teaching political show creation.

2018

The Grasshopper Rebellion Circus & Pageant

2017

Our Domestic Insurrection Circus & Pageant

The Basic Byebye Show

Water Protectors’ Parade

Prison Demolition and Composting Parade

2015

Overtakelessness Circus

Comet’s Passage Over Reality Pageant

The Seditious Conspiracy Theater Presents: A monument to political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera

2014

The Horizontalists

Public Access Center for the Obvious Presents: The Situation

Nothing Is Not Ready Circus

Gaza Emergency Pageant

Tar Sands Manifesto Pageant

Fire (revival)

2023

2014

La Alegradora, Santurce es Ley 2023

Melted Embraces US Tour

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