OVERVIEW

Born in Chicago, the United States in 1970, Carlos Rolón graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 1989 with a concentration in painting and drawing. Rolón’s family hails from Puerto-Rico, an unincorporated　U.S. territory, and his heritage plays a large role in his exploration of questions of inclusion,　aspiration and cultural identity. The artist explores the ef fects of past political systems and movements　on　themes of ritual, spirituality, and beauty, particularly in relation to current day issues in　America, transforming them into decorative and vibrant paintings and sculptures. Using mediums　ranging from iron, mirror, glass, and acrylic panel, to flowers and vintage fabrics, to installations and　site-specific works like murals and furniture, Rolón’ s works aim to break down social barriers in postcolonial　spaces and bridge the divide between public and private.
He was selected as the representative of the Ukrainian Pavilion in the 52nd Venice Biennale, 2007, and　recently held a large solo exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana.

HISTORY

2022
‘Gold, Secular and Sacred’, Maison D’ Art, Monaco, Monaco
‘The Great Migration’, Hexton Gallery, Colorado, USA
2021
‘Future Reminisce’, KOTARO NUKAGA, Tokyo, Japan
2020
‘Mapping Migration’, (in collaboration with Project Backboard,
The NBA and the Union League Boys and Girls Club),
Site-Specific intervention, Chicago, USA
2019
‘Salinas’, (in collaboration with Project Backboard), Site-Specific intervention, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
2018
‘Outside/In’, New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana, USA
‘Buscando América’, Library Street Collective, Detroit, USA
‘Lost in Paradise’, Cūmmer Museum, Florida, USA
2017
’50 Grand’, The Tube Factory, Indiana, USA
2016
‘Tropicaliza’, Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
‘Vintage Voyages and Atomic Memories’, Mike Kelley Mobile
Homestead; Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Michigan, USA
‘Mi Casa’, Pearl Lam Gallery, Singapore, Singapore
2015
‘Tiffany & Co., MCA Commission + Collaboration’, Tiffany & Co.,
Chicago; EXPO Chicago; Museum of Contemporary Art,
Chicago, USA
‘Tunnel Vision’, space K, Gwangju, Korea
2014
‘New Work’, Walter Otero Contemporary, San Juan, Puerto Rico
‘Trophy Room’, COLLABORATIONS, Art Cologne Invitational,
Salon 94 and Galerie Henrik Springmann Cologne, Germany
‘Dzine: Born Carlos Rolón’, 1970, Paul Kasmin Gallery and Salon 94, New York, USA
‘Victory’, The Dallas Contemporary, Texas, USA
2013
‘Imperial Nail Salon’, Galerie Henrik Springmann, Berlin, Germany
2012
‘Phenomenon’, Curated by Hew Locke and Indra Khanna, Deptford
X, London, UK
‘Imperial Nail Salon’, Salon 94, New York, USA
2011
‘Get Nailed at the New Museum’, New Museum, New York, USA
‘Zeniths and Daytons’, Galerie Zidoun, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

2023
‘Die Young, Stay Pretty’, KOTARO NUKAGA, Tokyo, Japan
2022
‘Adorned’, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas, USA
‘Art in Embassies’, U.S. Embassy Colombo in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
2021
‘HOME & AWAY: Selections from Common Practice’, Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, USA
2020
‘A Very Anxious Feeling: Voices of Unrest in the American Experience
(20 Years of the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection)’, Taubman Museum of
Art, Virginia, USA
‘OPEN STORAGE: SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION & WORKS ON
LOAN’ (curated by Silvia Karman Cubiñá and Leilani Lynch), Bass
Museum of Art, Miami, USA
‘Accidents [Part I]’, Pearl Lam Gallery, Hong Kong
2019
‘PRIDE’, Postmasters, New York, USA
‘Fixed Contained’, KOTARO NUKAGA, Tokyo, Japan
2018
‘Pardon My Language (Curated by Tomokazu Matsuyama)’,
Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
‘Flora’ (Curated by Melanie Johanson), Cornell Art Museum, Florida, USA
‘Stone’ s Throw’, Pensacola Museum of Art, Florida, USA
2017
‘Acts of Transgression’, Pearl Lam Galleries, Hong Kong
‘No Burden as Heavy’, David Castillo Gallery, Florida, USA
‘Materialized Condition’, Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore, Singapore
‘Beautiful Black’, Leeahn Gallery, Daegu, Korea
2016
‘DNA’, Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, Korea
2015
‘Body Embellishment’, The Mint Museum, North Carolina, USA
‘EXPO Chicago’, Tiffany & Co., Chicago; Museum of Contemporary Art,
Chicago; Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore; Salon 94, New York, USA
2014
‘Shaq Loves People Presented by the Flag Art Foundation’, EXPO
CHICAGO, Illinois, USA
‘Tradiciones’, Rockford Art Museum, Illinois, USA
2013
‘The Concept of Baroque in Contemporary Art’, Galerie Henrik
Springmann, Berlin, Germany

Bass Museum of Art, Miami, USA
Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
City of Chicago Public Art Collection, Illinois, USA
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Florida, USA
Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, South Kore

WORKS

NEWS

Group exhibition curated by Carlos Rolón and Tomokazu Matsuyama 'Die Young, Stay Pretty'

From March 10 (Fri), 2023, KOTARO NUKAGA, Roppongi is pleased to present ‘Die Young, Stay Pretty.’ The exhibition is co-curated by Chicago-based Puerto Rican American artist Carlos Rolón, whose practice explores themes of belonging and cultural identity, and artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, whose contemporary visual language functions as a representation of the reality of our times. Rolón

West Bund Art & Design 2021

KOTARO NUKAGA is pleased to announce that we will be participating in the international art fair West Bund Art & Design 2021 in Shanghai from November 11, 2021 (Thursday). For our first art fair in 2 years, KOTARO NUKAGA will be exhibiting works by six artists, including New York-based artists Tony Matelli and Tomokazu Matsuyama.

Carlos Rolón ‘Future Reminisce’

From July 30th (Fri) to September 4th (Sat), 2021, KOTARO NUKAGA is pleased to present ‘Future Reminisce’, a solo exhibition by Puerto Rican-American artist Carlos Rolón. This exhibition marks fifteen years since the artist’s first solo exhibition in Japan in 2006, and two years since his participation in KOTARO NUKAGA, Tennoz’s 2019 group show. In this show,

Carlos Rolón: Sculpture Milwaukee Chase Tower

KOTARO NUKAGA is proud to announce that an installation by Carlos Rolón is on view in Milwaukee, WI, through to 27 October 2019. Carlos Rolón “Gild the Lily (Caribbean Hybrid I, II, Ⅲ), 2019” Milwaukee Chase Tower (Milwaukee, WI) June 2 → October 27, 2019 Click here to visit the official website.

FIXED CONTAINED Curated by Tomokazu Matsuyama

KOTARO NUKAGA is pleased to present Fixed Contained, a group exhibition of seven international contemporary artists: Brian Alfred, Firelei Báez, Inka Essenhigh, Nir Hod, Tony Matelli, Tomokazu Matsuyama, and Carlos Rolón. This exhibition is guest curated by Matsuyama, and will be on view from April 20, 2019 through June 29, 2019. Each of the artists