Meet José (“Dark”) Rodriguez | Sculptor & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with José (“Dark”) Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi José (“Dark”), where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Seems straightforward enough but man, there’s so much to cover in that question! I’m honestly not sure where to begin but I’ll try to keep it succinct.

Well, first and foremost I’m Nuyorican. My parents moved to the US from Puerto Rico back in the 40s when they were barely 20. I was born and raised in The Bronx before eventually relocating here to Miami at the age of 23 back in 2002, shortly after 9/11. Up until that whole upheaval my life was pretty solid.

I grew up poor as a kid but had a loving family and a really happy childhood. I’m the youngest of four brothers and was adopted by my aunt and uncle when I was 3 while my parents were going through a messy separation. I was kinda late to the party so there was a significant age gap from my cousins and siblings. I was also really blessed to be able to say I had two moms. Being sisters, they naturally had their differences but when it came to me, I was their priority, pride and joy. I was definitely the baby of the family. Despite having so many brothers and cousins, I was ironically still raised an “only” child. Being the latest, unplanned arrival created an age gap that (for me) meant as they all got to grow up together on the streets in the eighties, chasing girls, witnessing the dawning of Hip Hop, boomboxes, handball tournaments, breakdancing at the parks, big hair and denim jackets, I was always stuck upstairs on the 18th floor of the Mott Haven (NYCHA) projects playing with color pencils, crayons, watching old Japanese Kaiju monster films on tv and sneaking into their room to watch ‘The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller’ on their Betamax player. That’s definitely where the power of imagination really sparked up in me. I was constantly finding ways to amuse myself. I think the biggest shift for me however was when my uncle came home one day after a long shift with this little school chair/ desk combo he found outside by some dumpsters. I would sit and draw in that thing day and night for years until I physically outgrew it. We were poor but they always managed to find a way to make sure I was stimulated and happy.

My uncle eventually moved us out of there after a few recurring elevator and stairwell muggings got violent. I think he stabbed one of his attackers in self defense. My uncle was a hardworking man. Worked on Park Avenue as a waiter for some elitist social club. Strong silent type with a brass pair so he wasn’t having it and stood his ground, but things must’ve gotten pretty bad. It just wasn’t the 60s or 70s era my cousins were raised up in anymore.

The first house had an attic with sizable walk-in closet that they converted into my first bedroom. It was cozy and fairly private and I’d cover the slanted angled ceiling beside my bed with a bunch of drawings and magazine cut outs like a gallery. They always gave the me space I needed to be imaginatively weird, expressive and independent. I’ll never forget that.

A few years later we moved again towards White Plains and Allerton Avenue. Those areas were predominantly Irish, Italian, and Jewish and as Puerto Ricans there was always this underlying territorial tension I felt well into my early teens. Kinda like ‘A Bronx Tale’ or ‘West Side Story’ but far less whimsical and a lot more subtle. By the time I got to Middle School and High School I was well into the 90s and those demographics changed a lot to say the least. Somehow I managed to dodge all the cliche urban pitfalls and kept broadening my interests and sharpening my talents. I studied film and wanted to become a special effects makeup artist and monster maker, but ended up working in the action figure / toy industry as a sculptor and illustrator right after graduating. It was a strong start and I hit the ground running for a few years. Then some buildings fell and the world changed forever.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always had a hard time categorizing or labeling my style of art because it’s always been somewhat eclectic. Having undiagnosed ADHD definitely had a lot to do with it looking back. At times it was surrealism, while others would probably be described as photorealistic or contemporary. I’d challenge myself to see what I could come up with or pull off next. Sometimes the results were goofy. Other times they’d be more atmospheric or just downright disturbing. What mattered was that I was creating. Letting it out, learning new skills along the way, with whatever time I could find. I never really cared much about labels, I just did whatever I wanted to do in the moment and felt inspired to make. It wasn’t rare for me to just make something simply because I thought they’d be cool to have. I drew and painted in every medium there was but didn’t even know I could sculpt until I was about 19. Shoot I’ve only been exploring wood carving the past three years! I just had this overwhelming needed to create, whatever the outcome or direction it took.

I learned early on that art had an inherent power to influence and inspire others but it took my entire adult life for me to figure out how I wanted to use my talents to achieve something more meaningful and leave a lasting impact. It wasn’t until I began to reconnect with my indigenous roots and my ancestors that this purpose became clear to me. We’re currently witnessing a unprecedented height in awareness of indigenous talent on the rise and it was an epiphany to me when I began to connect those dots and realize how much of our own native knowledge survived through our practices, our unique island dialects and our music all throughout the Caribbean. It’s become my personal mission to dispel this outdated notion of Taino “extinction” and remind our younger generations where they came from and who they really are. The evidence was there all along. The way we sound and move, our foods, our music, the beats, our passion and inner fires. We’ve always been here.

Branding however is something I still struggle with because it’s never been about marketing or profiting for me. I came up with Diaspora Boriken as a social media handle because it best described my personal circumstances and reflects this journey and what I’ve now set out to do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question because it made me realize that although I’ve literally lived here for the entire later half of my adult life, being the home body introvert I am, I’ve barely scratched the surface. Exploring South Florida with loved ones is a great way to get out my comfort zone and create new memories.

I’d probably get some of the touristy destinations out of the way like downtown and the beaches in the same vein one would stop in Times Square or Broadway when visiting New York, but for me, experiencing the remaining pockets of genuine culture here takes precedence.

I’d probably guide them outside of those increasingly gentrified ritzy areas and more towards the outskirts like the Everglades for some real BBQ and go for a ride on the rivers of grass with Tigertail Airboat Tours.

Family owned Caribbean restaurants and places like Calle Ocho and street festivals are also a must.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When it comes to inspirational figures and pivotal moments in one’s life, it can be difficult to narrow them down to just a notable few. Especially when you’ve gone through as many path changes as I have the wide spectrum of interests that I do. The common denominator for me is that my biggest influences have always been the creatives that have used their talents and passions to impact and better our world in some way, despite the odds. The rule breakers.

In my teens they were (back then) largely unknown artists behind the scenes. Pioneers of special effects and creature design like Dick Smith, Rick Baker, Tom Savini, Steve Wang, Stan Winston and Steve Johnson. As I grew older I turned to writers like George Orwell, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and most recently, Nelson A. Dennis, the author of ‘War Against All Puerto Ricans’ which was undoubtedly my turning point to better understanding my ancestral island’s history and reconnecting to my people’s roots and continued struggles. If there was ever a book that woke me up from the colonially-induced diasporatic coma, it’s that book.

Then there are the those whom I’ve come to know personally that have helped shape and guide my own life’s purpose onto the path it’s on today. Indigenous land defenders, elders, and leaders like Betty Osceola (Panther Clan, Miccosukee), Garret Stuart (Lakota) of the Everglades, and our own tribe’s founder and Cacique, Jorge Estevez (Taino, Higuayagua Taino of the Caribbean) who has worked tirelessly for decades to research and revitalize our culture and resurrect our peoples “lost” language.

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Image Credits
Jose L. Rodriguez | Diaspora Boriken