Seattle, WA – Gallery 110 is pleased to present Battle for Paradise, a powerful photographic series by multimedia artist Jo Cosme. This exhibition is part of Cosme’s larger body of work, Welcome to Paradise: ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!, a searing visual investigation into the impacts of neocolonialism and disaster capitalism in Borikén/Puerto Rico.

Using traditional photography and lenticular printing, Cosme brings into sharp focus the jarring contradictions between the glossy luxury marketed to tourists and settlers and the daily struggles faced by native Puerto Ricans. The work exposes how post-disaster recovery efforts—particularly after Hurricane María—were co-opted for profit, exacerbating poverty and displacement for the island’s native population. Today, nearly half of Borikén’s residents live below the poverty line—more than three times the U.S. average.

Displaced to Seattle a year after María, Cosme brings personal urgency and lived experience to her art. Through this exhibition, she challenges mainland audiences to confront their roles in ongoing colonial systems and reflect on the ethics of tourism, land ownership, and solidarity.

“By showing this work in the continental U.S.,” Cosme says, “I hope to spark dialogue around ethical travel, land stewardship, and justice for Borikén/Puerto Rico.”

Biography

Jo Cosme obtained her BFA in Photography in 2014 from the Escuela de Artes Pla?sticas in Puerto Rico. Her work has graced venues globally, including Museo de las Américas (PR), Whatcom Museum (WA), Alexandria Museum of Art (LA), and Galerie Rivoli 59 (Paris). She earned the Puerto Rican Fellowship for MASS MoCA’s A4A Residency in 2021, and the following year received grants from the Collective Power Fund and Artist Trust. In 2023, she received the Bernie Funk Artist Scholarship, CityArtist grant, McMillen Foundation Fellowship, and 4Culture’s Arc Fellowship.

Preview this exhibition online

Exhibition Dates: June 5-28, 2025

Opening: Pioneer Square First Thursday Art Walk, June 5, 5-8pm

Hours: Thursday - Saturday from 12pm - 5pm

Location: Gallery 110, 110 3rd Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104

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