Introducing … Rico Reyes

Ricardo “Rico” Reyes
Bachelor’s of Arts in sculpture, Berkeley
Master’s of fine arts, UCLA
Ph.D. in cultural studies, Goldsmiths College, University of London

Previously working as: director and curator at University of Hartford

Goal: “I hope to use exhibit making to broaden the academic experience at Lafayette, develop strong collaborations, and build community.”

Galleries: “They are often sight-dominant but should be a complete sensorial experience.”

Collections at Lafayette that excite him: “Kirby Civil Rights, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg portrait commission, and Goodman Collection have a real purpose here and are well thought out.”

Last show he curated: “I brought three unlikely partners together with the Design Museum, Arts School, and the College of Education, Nursing, and Health Professions to participate in exhibit making around the history, craft, and design of prosthetics.”

Favorite exhibit: “A show called ‘Self Immersed’ brought together three installation artists, Meredith Monk, Tracey Snelling, and Karen Tam, for an immersive experience. Snelling built a life-sized room in a gallery whereas Tam recreated a Chinese restaurant from her childhood memory.”

Favorite shows to see: “When I go to exhibits, it feels a bit like working, so I like to look at pieces not from the 20th and 21st century. Instead, I look at 18th and 19th century landscapes. I am fascinated by the theories of nation building and its effect on contemporary politics.”

Favorite museum: “Tate Modern in London”

Favorite contemporary artist: “Luis Flores, who crochets life-size versions of himself.”

Favorite artist over time: “I was never a Paul Cezanne fan until I spent some time with [his art]. Same with artist Juan Luna, Filipino painter, sculptor.”

First show you remember: “The dioramas at the Ayala Museum in the Philippines. It was like staring into tiny motionless televisions.”

Favorite activities when not at work: “I love playing tennis, gardening, and cooking.”

Favorite food to cook: “Filipino comfort food—a nice stew with rice. I also like making Italian food—pasta from scratch.”

What you did during the most restrictive phase of COVID-19: “I took an accounting class, but that turned into an MBA. Took me 11 months to earn it. I created a schedule for classwork and work so I wouldn’t become a couch potato. I also dedicated one hour a day to learning Italian on Duolingo.”