Chicago-based artist Carlos Rolón has debuted a new solo exhibition titled "The Division Street Riots" at 65Grand gallery. Moving away from his signature high-gloss aesthetic of Swarovski crystals and gold, Rolón presents a series of restrained graphite and charcoal drawings and dye sublimation prints based on archival imagery. The works document the 1966 uprising in Chicago's Humboldt Park, which was sparked by the police shooting of a young Puerto Rican man, Arcelis Cruz, following the city's first Puerto Rican Day Parade.
This shift in Rolón’s practice represents a significant pivot from "spectacle" to "witnessing," highlighting a pivotal but often overlooked moment in Puerto Rican civic history. By utilizing a somber, documentary-style palette, Rolón addresses themes of historical responsibility and community memory. The exhibition underscores how contemporary artists are increasingly mining local archives to bridge the gap between personal heritage and broader national narratives of civil unrest and identity.