RESILIENCE: RECLAIMING HISTORY AND THE DOMINICAN DIASPORA

Resilience is defined as the human ability to cope with difficult times and bounce back from personal trauma. In much the same way, when a society is confronted with the aftermath of a collective hardship – whether sociopolitical, ecological, or institutional – its people must figure out how to process these events collectively. Creativity and art have always been an essential tool for a society to reclaim its own historical narrative and draw lessons for the future. In this way, artists create a space for society’s healing and growth.

The Inter-American Development Bank, with support from the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Washington, presents Resilience as an example of how art and creativity provide an important social value by giving expression to sentiments that help to shape our collective narratives.

Today, the Dominican Republic is one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Nevertheless, the advances in reducing poverty and inequality have not kept pace with GDP growth. Looking toward the future, the country needs to improve the quality of education, healthcare infrastructure and services, diversify exports, and boost productivity,- while also adapting to climate change and promoting innovation. As a partner in the Dominican Republic’s economic and social development for nearly six decades, the IDB is committed to working with the government, NGOs, and private sector partners to achieve these goals.

Artist List: Pepe Coronado, René de los Santos, Iliana Emilia García, Reynaldo García Pantaleón, Luanda Lozano, Miguel Luciano, Germán Perez, Ella Pérez-Garcia, Narciso Polanco, Freddy Rodríguez, Moses Ros-Suárez (co-curator), Juan Sánchez, Fernando Tamburini, Ezequiel Taveras, Rider Ureña.