Adal Maldonado
the evidence of things not seen

Photographer Adal (Alberto Maldonado) was an Artist-in-Residence at LW/CD in 1986. A good deal of his time was spent preparing work for an exhibition at the Tweed Gallery at City Hall in New York. The exhibition, titled 'The Avant Garde Mambo Society', features portraits of Latin American musicians by Adal along with photographic murals by Marco Kalisch and a video documentary, 'Musica', by Gustavo A. Paredes.

Spanning three decades of music history, Adal's startling portraits provide insight into the visions of each musical personality. We see the eyes of Mongo, laughing out of his joyful expression; the sensual and provocative body language of Ruben Blades; the authoritative stance of music impresario Ralph Mercado; and Tito Puente's image as 'Drum Major' against a stenciled background of singing birds.

His 'Mango Mambo' (The Avant Garde Mambo Society) is a celebration. It is a tribute to the endurance of a musical community which has maintained traditions in the face of change, and at the same time created a fusion of elements and styles found in a new environment.

Adal lives and works in New York City. 1986