Oliva Gallery is honored to present Ossamenta, a powerful photographic exhibition by Herminio Rodríguez that explores the landscapes of decay and resilience across Puerto Rico. Rodríguez’s work captures a profound narrative of socioeconomic hardship, offering audiences a deep look into the often-overlooked aftermath of economic recession, governmental debt, and natural disasters on the island.In Ossamenta, Rodríguez shares the results of a six-year journey through Puerto Rico’s seventy-eight municipalities and its islands, Vieques and Culebra. During this time, he documented abandoned industrial sites, deserted commercial properties, and once-thriving government buildings left to deteriorate. Each photograph is an intimate study of desolation, revealing the effects of Puerto Rico’s prolonged economic struggles under U.S. T ax Code 936, a series of hurricanes, and the ongoing debt crisis. Through his lens, Rodríguez examines the haunting beauty in these relics of economic ambition, now neglected and fading.

Herminio Rodríguez: A Journey of Discovery and Reflection

Rodríguez’s approach goes beyond mere documentation; it is a personal and introspective search to understand Puerto Rico’s landscape in the face of its current economic realities. From large industrial facilities once governed by the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) to private commercial properties that fell victim to the island’s economic downturn, each structure he photographs stands as a silent witness to Puerto Rico’s complex history. His dedication to photographing interiors reveals a layered narrative of decline, abandonment, and an eerie beauty that resonates with similar histories in places like Detroit, where economic collapse has left entire districts forsaken.

Rodríguez’s exhibition is further enriched by personal notes and reflections that accompany each image. These brief texts serve as a diary of his journey and experiences, capturing the social, physical, and technical challenges he faced. Each entry offers viewers a more personal insight into Rodríguez’s journey, inviting them to see through his eyes and feel the weight of the story behind each space.