2024 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Concrete Rubble & Rusty Rebars.
83.82 x 38.1 x 45.72 cm
“33 x 15 x 18”
We cannot build economies in other countries when ours is falling apart. This is the fragile balance between rock and rebar.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1967, Rafael Eugenio Trujillo lives in New York. He began his art studies by taking drawing and photography classes at La Liga de Arte in San Juan. Later, Rafael began his university work under professors Ismael Diepa, Ramón Aboy Miranda, and Master PrinterJosé R. Alicea at the School of Plastic Arts at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. After transferring to Pratt Institute in New York, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Communication Design under two-time Eisner Award winner Professor George Pratt, among others. He continued his education at the School of Visual Arts, NYU, and The New School in New York City, studying broadcast and three-dimensional design, copyright law, and more recently, metal sculpture and fabrication at The Art Student League of New York.
Awards
2023/2024 Winner of The Art Students League of NYC
Ruth Katzman Scholarship in loving memory of her parents Lilian and Max Katzman.
Detail- TRItweeter, Mudule z
2019 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Mix Medium
“12.5 x 7.5”
“DEFENSORES DE LA FE”
Galeria Pintadera
San Juan, PR
March 2006
GALLERYONETWENTYEIGHT
New York, NY
August - September 2024
“2024 GRANT & MERIT
SCHOLARSHIP EXHIBITION”
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery
New York, NY
July - August 2024
“E-TELIER STUDENT SALONS 2022”
Online at ASL
World Wide Web
February - June 2022
“REWIND... REWIND...”
Museo Del Arsenal
De La Marina Española
San Juan, PR
May 2006
“PEQUEÑO FORMATO 05”
Galeria Pintadera
San Juan, PR
December 2005
“PEQUEÑO FORMATO 04”
Galeria Pintadera
San Juan, PR
December 2004
“DIGITAL DUMBO”
Mastel + Mastel Gallery
New York, NY
September 2001
“VI INTERNATIONAL ART
TRIENNALE MAJDANEK 2000”
Summer Gallery
State Museum at Majdanek
Lublin, Poland
May 2000
ARTE JOVEN”
Galeria Botello
San Juan, PR
July 2000
“EXPRESIONES”
Sala de Exposiciones del Convento de los Dominicos
San Juan, PR
March 1997
“THE 19TH INTERNATIONAL
INDEPENDENT EXHIBITION
OF PRINT”
Kanagawa, Prefectural Gallery
Yokohama, Japan
November 1997
“ZOOISLA” (ARTE ACTUAL)
Museo De Las Americas
Cuartel De Ballaja
San Juan, PR
September 1996
“GENEROS”
Museo Del Arsenal
De La Marina Española
San Juan, PR
August 1994
Module D
2024 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Alloy Steel, Curated Scrap Metal
& Lighting Fixtures.
60.96 X 67.31 X 21.59 cm
“24 x 26.5 x 18.5”
This spotlight illuminator can be a standalone work or can be paired with another piece. The cylinder at the top contains small rods, which, when spun create moving lines that morph into each other making a beautiful dance of light and shadows.
2024 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Alloy Steel Box with Lock & Keys,
Unknown Artist Paint, and a
used Toy Chalkboard.
59.69 x 58.42 x 7.62 cm
“23.5 x 23 x 3”
A steel cage with an unknown artist painting inside is mounted on a chalkboard a kid used to create art.
From the beginning, we are in a position to decide what to do with the artwork we produce.
This piece is also about loneliness. Being alone in youth, especially in NYC, is fairly comfortable,but later in life, that comfort is not the same; for me, it is like choosing to be in a cage.
Reimaging Victor Victrola Talking Machine
2023 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Victor Victrola VV IX Label/Metal Badge, Victor Victrola Original Wood & Cast Driver Horn, Avox 806653-01 Cable Extensions, Curated Scrap Metal, Industrial Shelving Rack Scraps, Eminence PXB2:1K6 2-Way Speaker Passive Crossover Board 1,600 Hz, Klipsch Subwoofer 10" 6 Ohm 100 Watt Woofer, Haksul Lee Steel Bass Drum, JBL Selenium D250-X GW 1" Phenolic Horn Driver 1-3/8"-18 TPI 150 Watts 8Ω Impedance, Air-force Jack Hydraulic Reservoir Tank, 2" x 15' Ratchet Strap Tie Down 5000LB J Hook, Wheeler Bros 2026-1-313561 Pipe Swing Joint, 3 Ton Steel Service Automobile Ramp, Sold Plastic, Wire, Rubber Scraps and Acrylic Paint.66.04 x 55.88 x 17.78 cm
“26 x 22 x 7”
This piece is an reimagining and homage to the 1898 painting by British painter Francis Barraud titled His Master's Voice and to the Victor Victrola talking machine.
In his early years, Evendo Victor manufactured phonographs using horns to carry the sound. I created a mono high-fidelity two-way speaker using a Victor antique horn and designed the piece around it. These early phonographs feel very rustic so I tried to keep the same feel by adding steampunk/sci-fi/post-apocalyptic elements to it — while keeping it playful.
In His Master's Voice, Francis Barraud painted Nipper, the famous RCA Victor Dog, listening to the phonograph. In my piece, I feature Fuego the cat listening to the child Feena’s message to her mom.
2020 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Green Ribbon, Wood Frame, Rubber Band,
ZipTies and a Human Skeleton Toy Arm.
43.18 x 27.94 x 12.7 cm
“17 x 11 x 5”
The interlaced pieces. The ins and outs. The ups
and downs. The ribbon between the frame symbolizes the tie between me an my work. The toy skeleton with its hands zip-tied to the frame represents “til death do us part”: a vow to my wife, my family, my work, and this life.
Signals Early Warning,
Module C
2024 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
14” cast iron wok, Shure VP64A Omnidirectional Handheld Microphone, GS Power 100% Copper 10 AWG (American Wire Gauge) OFC Wire, 3/4 inch PET Braided Expandable Cable Sleeve, XLR to XLR Patch Cable, Electronic Junction Box Power Enclosure 3.94 x 2.68 x 1 .97 inch (100 x 68 x 50 mm), 8 x AA 12V Battery Holder Case Box, 18 AWG Gauge Electrical Wire, DROK 12V Amplifier Board, 15W+15W 2.0 Dual Channel Audio Amplifier Board, XLR Female to XLR Female Adapter, curated scrap metal. 2 Amplifier Terminal Connector Binding Post Banana Plug Jack Socket and 4 WGGE WG-009 Banana Plugs Audio Jack Connectors.
114.3 x 40.64 x 86.36 cm
“45 x 16 x 34”
7070 Electrocon,
Signal Indicator,
Module A
2023 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Alloy Steel, Sears SR 3000 5” Tv Monitor, Magnifying Glass, Curated Scrap Metal, GS Power 100% Copper 10 AWG (American Wire Gauge) OFC Wire, 3/4 inch PET Braided Expandable Cable Sleeve, 2 Amplifier Terminal Connector Binding Post Banana Plug Jack Socket, 4 WGGE WG-009 Banana Plugs Audio Jack Connectors, 1 Toy Handcuff, Wire, 10 Foot Black Outdoor Extension Cord and Vintage Fisher Regent Console Stereo Knobs.
60.96 X 67.31 X 21.59 cm
“24 x 26.5 x 18.5”
This work is about noise pollution. Two modules work together to capture noise: one adsorbs the noise and the other displays the noise signals on a monitor.
2022 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Original Fast Food Restaurant Sign, LED Lights,
Fan, Speakers, Sound Shaker, Alloy Steel,
Plexiglass, Small Amp & a Star Flag.
80.01 x 63.5 x 29.21 cm
“31.5 x 25 x 11.5”
A bent and broken fast food restaurant sign that was destroyed by a Hurricane Hortencia in Puerto Rico shows how we integrate real life into our culture using art and music — including hurricanes. This piece springs from the bottom, with a bar that takes on the flow of a wave and is topped with a shape created by nature.
To mimic nature, I incorporated tools including a fan
for the wind, a shaker to mimic the sounds of objects rattling around, a small sound system for the Bomba
(a song), and flashing LED lights for the occasional light one sees after the power fails.
2021 Eugenio Rafael Trujillo
Alloy Steel, Acrylic Paint &
Solid Plastic.
24.13 x 21.59 x 20.32 cm
“9.5 x 8.5 x 8”
This may look like a large finger ring but it is intended to hang between your wrist and elbow like a woman's handbag.
The brain is a beautiful organ. If you don’t use it,
you may as well wear it.