Pepon Osorio

Pepon Osario was born in Puerto Rico, Santurce in 1955. He is a Latin artist. He works and lives in Philadelphia. He studied at Lehman College at Universidad Inter-Americana in Puerto Rico. He received M.A degree in 1985 from Colombia University. He is a Caribbean- African descent. He is a from a knit community where everyone shares their success and disappointment. Osario moved to the Bronx in New York Click to look into! >> Read More... in 1975 to continue his education. He earned his M.A. degree in Sociology. He worked as a social worker and came to know new people, environment, and their different way of living. He also met some African descent people, and they shared his experience and values.

Osorio’s childhood is inspiring. His mother was a pastry maker, and she bakes cakes for special occasions. All the members of the family helped in decorating and frosting the cake. The cherries that they buy for their work are for special occasions like wedding, parties or for religious decorations. He changes their meaning by using other objects, and challenges the perception of art.

Osorio combines popular Latin culture with traditional artistic feelings of community and culture. His artistic works include sequins, plastic, and baubles. It unveils rich tradition of New York and Puerto Rico. His installations also include sports items like cards, boxing gloves, trophies, etc. It also includes industrial material of different colours and fabrics.

Osorio has a unique style of accommodating these things to articulate different meaning. His installations develop from the people he works and interacts with. He has exhibited his works worldwide in department stores, storefronts, and private homes. Osorio’s work points out subjects of class, race and economy and their effect on objects and image. By merging community dynamics and conceptual art, he puts forward the questions of cultural identity, justice, and history.

His main works are The Scene of the Crime (Whose Crime?), Los Twines, No Crying in Barbershop, and Badge of Honor. Osorio’s works got exhibited in Walker Arts Centre, The Smithsonian American Art Museum. It is also held in Whitney Museum of American Art, El Museo Del Barrio, El Museo De Arte De Puerto Rico, El Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico. Osorio took part in several international exhibitions and earned distinctions. Osorio is currently working in Tyler School of Arts as a Professor at Temple University.