Exhibition StatementFreddie, a two-part solo exhibition by Puerto Rican artist Freddie Mercado at Vleeshal (July–December 2023), explored identity as an ever-shifting spectacle. Known for his grand, gender-fluid presence and maximalist aesthetic, Mercado blurs cultural and personal boundaries through performance, costume, and painted self-portraits. His practice reimagines self-portraiture as a fractured, evolving form, deeply shaped by personal and national ruptures—such as Hurricane Maria and his own physical injury. Across both parts of the show, Mercado's work merged humor, craftsmanship, and exuberance into a deeply personal yet political act, where self-expression becomes both resistance and healing.
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Freddie
Exhibition Design, Graphic Identity
Exhibition design for Freddie Mercado's solo exhibition Freddie, presented in two parts at Vleeshal, as part of an ongoing collaboration between Vleeshal and Werkplaats Typografie. The design scope included printed matter such as the exhibition poster, invitation, booklet, and advertisements, as well as wall lettering and social media assets.
ArtistFreddie MercadoDirector / CuratorRoss GortzakVenueVleeshal Center for Contemporary Art MagazineDe Witte Raaf Metropolis M
Visual Keywords
Shape of his body (1)
Change (2)
Layers (3)
Density (4)
Takes up space (5)
Presence (6)
Body parts (7)
Transition (8)
Cut-out figures (9)
Ritualistic (10)
Social Media Assets
Vleeshal, Middelburg, 15 July 2023
