EL MUSEO'S BIENAL
THE (S) FILES 2002: THE SELECTED FILES

On view Thursday, October 24, 2002-February 16, 2003
Press preview Wednesday, October 23, 10am-12pm

NEW YORK, NY, October 4, 2002 - El Museo del Barrio is pleased to announce the third edition of the series The (S) Files: The Selected Files, the critically acclaimed and widely attended biennial showcase of the most cutting-edge art produced by Latino and Latin American artists currently living and working in the greater New York area. The (S) Files 2002 includes 30 artists working in traditional media-such as painting, drawing, sculptural works, photography or video-and many site-specific installations, performative pieces, conceptual works and outdoor projects created specifically for this exhibition. Established in 1999, The (S) Files celebrates the experimental immediacy and spontaneity of contemporary art.

The (S) Files 2002 includes ambitious, extraordinary projects, including a publicity campaign and look-alike contest by Paco Cao; a roving pirate radio station by neuroTransmitter; an "ideal" art-viewing environment by Nicolás Guagnini; a pilgrimage on a bicycle (with a potato) by Nicolás Dumit Estévez; and a 30-foot robotic sculpture by Chico MacMurtie. (Please refer to the included "Artists Overview" for further information.) A lively range of events builds upon the youthful energy of The (S) Files 2002 by taking exhibition-related programming into El Museo's Teatro Heckscher, lobby, courtyard, roof, onto Fifth Avenue, to venues throughout el barrio-East Harlem's Spanish-speaking neighborhood that extends from 96th Street to the Harlem River and from Fifth Avenue to the East River on Manhattan's Upper East Side-and beyond.

Capturing the unique energy of innovative contemporary Latino & Latin American artists based in the greater New York area, The (S) Files are "Selected" from on-going submissions to El Museo. The (S) Files expands the definition of contemporary Latino/Latin American art, nurtures the development of groundbreaking young artists, and reinforces El Museo's commitment to emerging artists by fostering an inclusive, ever-broadening group of artist-stakeholders. In choosing the name The (S) Files, El Museo decided to echo the television show, "The X-Files," considering the artists' files to be a hidden treasure.

Participating Artists
The (S) Files 2002 features a cross-section of young Latino/Latin American artists from a wide variety of countries, particularly Puerto Rico; their ages average in the mid-30s. For the majority of the artists included The (S) Files 2002 will be their first New York City museum exposure. Participating artists include:

María Alós (b. 1973, Cambridge, Massachussetts)
Isidro Blasco (b. 1962, Madrid, Spain)
François Bucher (b. 1972, Cali, Colombia)
Margarita Cabrera (b. 1973, Monterrey, Mexico)
Bibi Calderaro (b. 1965, Argentina)
Javier Cambre (b. 1966, San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Paco Cao (b. 1965, Tudela Veguín, Asturias, Spain)
Karlos Carcamo (b. 1967, San Salvador, El Salvador)
Alejandro Cesarco (b. 1975, Montevideo, Uruguay)
Nicolás Dumit Estévez (b. 1967, Santiago, Dominican Republic)
Alessandra Exposito (b. 1967, Buffalo, New York)
Cari González-Casanova (b. 1971, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico)
Julio Grinblatt (b. 1960, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Nicolás Guagnini (b. 1966, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Claudia Joskowicz (b. 1968, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia)
Miguel Luciano (b. 1972, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico)
Tristana Maccio (b. 1973, Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Chico MacMurtrie (b. 1961, New Mexico)
Enrique Mendez de Hoyos (b. 1970, Mexico)
Yucef Merhi (b. 1977, Caracas, Venezuela)
neuroTransmitter (Angel F. Nevarez [b. 1970, Mexico City, Mexico]
in collaboration with Valerie Tevere)
Vicente Razo (b. 1971, Mexico City, Mexico)
Aixa Requena (b. 1951, San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Ryan Rivera (b. 1965, Queens, New York)
Raimundo Rubio Huidobro (b. 1956, Santiago, Chile)
Karin Schneider (b. 1966, Santo Angelo, Brazil)
Alejandra Seeber (b. 1968, Argentina)
Leticia Stella-Serra (b. 1962, Rome, Italy-raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Rigoberto Torres (b. 1960, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico)
Judi Werthein (b. 1967, Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Exhibition Curators
El Museo's Bienal, The (S) Files 2002 was co-curated by Deborah Cullen, Ph.D., Curator, El Museo del Barrio, and Victoria Noorthoorn, Curator, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires-Colección Costantini (MALBA), Argentina.

Catalogue
An 80-page full color, bilingual (English and Spanish) illustrated catalogue with images, statements and biographical information on each artist, as well as essays by the two curators, will be available at the time of the exhibition.

Public Programs
A full program of performance, audio projects, music, video screenings, readings and family events are planned in conjunction with this exhibition. For more information, see attached schedule of programs.

Exhibition Sponsors
Major funding for The (S) Files 2002 has been provided by The Phillip Morris Companies, Inc.; The New York State Council on the Arts; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; The Greenwall Foundation; Doral Bank and The LEF Foundation. Additional support is provided by Consejería de Cultura del Principado de Asturias, Casa de América, the Consulate General of Spain, and HOY.

About El Museo del Barrio
El Museo del Barrio was founded in 1969 by a group of Puerto Rican educators, artists, parents and community activists in East Harlem's Spanish-speaking el barrio, the neighborhood that extends from 96th Street to the Harlem River from Fifth Avenue to the East River on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Since then, El Museo del Barrio has evolved into New York's leading Latino cultural institution, having expanded its mission to represent the diversity of art and culture in the Caribbean and Latin America. As the only museum in New York City that specializes in representing these cultures, El Museo del Barrio continues to have a significant impact on the cultural life of New York City and is now a major stop on Manhattan's Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue.

El Museo del Barrio thrives on the sustained excellence of its collection, exhibitions, and public programming. El Museo del Barrio's varied permanent collection of 8,000 objects of Puerto Rican, Latino, and Latin American art includes pre-Columbian Taíno artifacts, traditional arts, twentieth-century prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, as well as photography, documentary films and video. El Museo del Barrio serves as a bridge and catalyst between the Latino population, their diverse cultural heritage, and the rich artistic offerings of New York City.

The mission of El Museo del Barrio is to present and preserve the art and culture of Puerto Ricans and all Latin Americans in the United States.

Museum hours and suggested contribution
Wednesday through Sunday, 11am to 5pm. Suggested contribution: $5 adults, $3 students and seniors; members and children under 12 (accompanied by an adult) enter free.

Location and directions
El Museo del Barrio and the Teatro Heckscher are located at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street and may be reached by subway #6 to 103rd Street Station; or by bus: M1, M3, M4 on Madison and Fifth Avenues to 104th Street; local cross-town service between Yorkville or East Harlem and the Upper West Side in Manhattan by bus: M96 and M106 or M2.

To download images, please visit www.elmuseo.org/sfiles/pressfiles.