The Poem That Grew from Concrete

A couple of weeks ago, locals in Little Havana may have noticed an increase in visitors asking, “Am I in the right place?” Nestled between a church and an income tax office, Luna Palazzolo-Daboul, our third commissioned artist of Season Seven, welcomed us into Tunnel Projects' retail-turned-studio and exhibition space. Guests enjoyed Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails crafted by our favorite bartender, Rico, along with Argentinian empanadas, a nod to Luna's heritage.

Then came the grand reveal as we descended into Tunnel’s underground space. Luna recited a poem “To East Croydon,” which she had also intricately sculpted in concrete and arranged across 50 unique tableaus—each created specifically for Commissioner Collector members. Though only 30 were displayed on the wall near her studio, we watched as the poem gradually deconstructed and evolved, with letters transforming into symbols and iterating upon themselves. A doing and undoing—a cohesive body of work that felt serendipitous, especially as it unfolded during National Poetry Month.

We then celebrated the opening of In Other Words, a group exhibit curated by Yi Chin Hsieh featuring Cristobal Alday, Catherine Camargo, Kayla Delacerda, Tayina Deravile, Oscar Fuentes/The Biscayne Poet, Isabella Marie Garcia, Tam Gryn, Carol Jazzar, Douglas Markowitz, Alexandra Martinez, and Carmen Ferreira De Terenzio.

Guests also explored the strip mall, tunnels, and hidden gems that housed the studios of artists David Correa, Genesis Moreno, Alicia Bilbao, Kenzie Funk, Shelby Slayden, David E. Olivera, Puent3, Richard Moreno, Connor Dolan, and Ben Chomitz. The artists-in-residence at Tunnel Projects made our third reveal of the season a delightful experience at every turn. We are grateful to them—and to Luna—for welcoming us into their space.

Photos by Chantal Lawrie. Special thanks to Laura Novoa for generously providing the venue at Bakehouse Art Complex to stage this work. In Other Words is on view in Tunnel’s project room through May 22, 2025.