For his forthcoming exhibition with Heather Grey Gallery at Hooper House, Walter Cruz has created a selection of mixed media works with his signature textures and rope. 

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Titled "Carry on Tradition," the collection explores Cruz’s experiences in a Dominican household, music and cultural crossovers within the context of growing up in New York City. Encompassing a wide range of cultural expressions, The show floats through references from Hip-hop music to Salsa dancing, from the traditional Dominican Diablos Cojuelos to the Kifwebe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. This amalgamation of artifacts from multiple eras and contexts highlights the intricacies of the African diaspora and the deeper connections between generations. The show aims to foster critical discourse on traditions that inherit families and individuals alike.

 

For this exhibition, Cruz wanted to use new materials and histories in his ongoing textural explorations. Each artwork in "Carry on Tradition" uses familiar objects as starting points to expand conversations about shared histories. The combinations invite viewers to review our pasts in order to make sense of our present circumstances.