VIP Opening Reception | Celia Cruz Centennial Exhibition

This centennial tribute to Celia Cruz (1925–2003), La Reina de la Salsa, is seen through the enduring friendship and photographic collaboration of Alexis Rodríguez-Duarte and Tico Torres. The exhibition gathers vivid portraits, backstage moments, never-before-seen images, videos, personal mementos, and treasured studio objects that illuminate Cruz’s warmth, humor, and indomitable spirit. Spanning fifteen years—from the first meeting with Celia and her husband Pedro Knight in London (1988) to the final photo session in Paris (2002)—the exhibition moves from candid life on tour to meticulously staged sessions. Among the featured pieces are photographs that inspired elements of the U.S. Mint’s Celia Cruz quarter (2024), underscoring the duo’s role in shaping how the world pictures Cruz today. And ending with an actual birthday celebration for the one and only Celia Cruz – cake and all. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Authors and Emmy Award® winning duo Alexis Rodríguez-Duarte and Tico Torres are Cuban-born, New York–based collaborators known for editorial portraiture and cultural documentary projects, including the long-running Cuba Out of Cuba series. Their portraits of Celia Cruz reside in significant collections and continue to serve as a primary visual reference for the artist’s remembrance. The artists live and work in Greenwich Village, New York. They are Emmy Award® Winners for their work on a short program on CUNY TV called Nueva York: Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte, Tico Torres at the 68th Annual New York Emmy for a documentary art segment and are the authors of Presenting Celia Cruz.