A Brief Chat with Rosanna Herrero

I’m not sure when was the first time I met Venezuelan-born, Puerto Rico-based, Rosanna, but I am sure it probably was on some hazy drunken night at Río Piedras, Old San Juan, or some “friend’s” house. As time passed, we saw each other more and more as we are both current staples of the quasi rebel artsy fartsy kids from Puelto Lico. Needless to say, she is one of my favorite people to run into whether it’s day or night, hazy or not. Right now, Rosanna is temporarily in New York as her work will be presented at The Openhouse Gallery starting this Thursday as part of the exhibition Broken Borders: International Art Show in a Globalized World. Her work will be featured along with artists from Japan, Mongolia and the United States. I recently “sat down” with 26-year-old Rosanna (through Facebook) and had a little tête-a-tête about New York, whiskey, sequins, arepas, and, obviously her work.

Rosanna: I am extremely excited about the show! This is an extreme opportunity to bring international visual artists together and show each other individual perspectives. Out of the five artists, I am the only one representing Venezuela/Puerto Rico. Therefore, representing my Latin culture through art is my biggest joy and pride. I have never felt this before.

Rosanna: Now, the cold is another thing, and definitely not my thing…Caribbean blood does not like temperatures were you can see your own breath each time you talk. However, along with winter come the holidays and all the happiness they evoke…so, I wear all the layers I need and some great boots to be able to walk out and enjoy the NYC streets.

Rosanna: Lo que mas extraño de Venezuela es la comida y la música. No hay nada como bailar gaitas y/o tambores en diciembre, tomando un buen guarapito de caña o una polar friiia y luego irse a comer arepas de carne mechada con guasacaca! Pero debido al estatus del pais los pasajes desde Puerto Rico estan biiiiien caros…me gustaría ir el próximo año a visitar la familia/amistades!

En inglés: What I miss the most about Venezuela is the food and music. There’s nothing like dancing gaitas and/or tambores in December, while drinking a nice guarapito de caña (a sweet sweet sugar cane drink) or a cold polar (a non-alcoholic malt beverage, yum!) and then eating arepas de carne mechada con guasaca (translation, you have to try them first)! Unfortunately, due to the status of my country, flights from Puerto Rico are very expensive…I’d like to go next year to visit my family and friends.

Rosanna: Ahora, mis nuevas obsesiones, aparte de sentarme en un bar de mala muerte a disfrutar de un whiskeycito, son: todo lo que sea bordado y/o lentejuelas, arizona green tea (aunque no sabe a nada…me encanta), mis perros Victoria y Oliver (mi hermana y yo tenemos custodia y ahora les toca NY,) y caminar las calles de NYC a ver que encuentro…entre otras cosas.

En inglés: Right now, my latest obsessions, besides sitting in some dive bar for a whiskey, are: anything embroidered and/or sequined, Arizona Green Tea (even though it doesn’t taste like anything…I love it), my dogs Victoria and Oliver (my sister and I share custody and now they’re in NY with me) and walking down the streets of New York City to see what I can find, amongst other things.