El Callao Carnival in New York City

On a lively Friday night in Crown Heights, the distinctive rhythms of Calipso de El Callao resonated along Dean Street and Classon Avenue, transforming Friends and Lovers—a Brooklyn venue—into a vibrant celebration of Venezuelan heritage. This unique exhibition documents the commemoration of Venezuela’s Carnaval de El Callao, a singular event organized by MPeach (Mariana Martin Capriles) and the musical collective Tambor y Caña (also known as Tambor NYC) at Friends and Lovers on March 8, 2024. The celebration of El Callao stands as a testament to how the Venezuelan diaspora fosters community and preserves Afro-Venezuelan cultural memory through music, dance, and nightlife performance.

Founded in 2017 by Willie Quintana and Daniel Prim, Tambor y Caña has evolved into what Quintana describes as a movimiento—a cultural movement that honors Afro-Venezuelan musical traditions while fostering connections through shared spaces within New York City’s growing Venezuelan community. Their work, which includes educational initiatives such as ETAPA (Escuela de Tambor Afro-Venezolano y Percusión Afro-Latina), reflects a deep commitment to the preservation of Venezuelan heritage. MPeach and Quintana have also launched TamborEllas, an all-female ensemble dedicated to Venezuelan folk instruments.

The collection featured in this exhibition vividly conveys the sounds, sights, and communal spirit of Carnaval de El Callao as celebrated in the diaspora. From the resonant pulse of los tambores to the neon-lit ambiance where disco balls shimmer above dancing bodies, the exhibition captures the essence of the celebration. It reveals how Venezuelan migrants recreate a fleeting sense of homeland through rhythm and festivity, transforming temporary venues into spaces of belonging and collective memory.

The celebration of El Callao’s carnival traditions—rooted in both African resistance and Catholic syncretism—serves as a powerful example of how cultural practices travel, adapt, and flourish in new contexts. As one attendee aptly expressed, Esto es comunidad—“This is community.” In documenting this event, we bear witness to music’s pivotal role as a vehicle for preserving heritage, building networks, and reimagining Venezuelan identity within the broader fabric of New York’s diasporic communities. The artistic and musical performances of El Callao by MPeach, TamborEllas, Tambor NYC, and Quintana affirm the enduring power of music to connect Venezuelans with their Afro-Venezuelan roots and to sustain Afro-diasporic identity across Latinx communities.

Guest curator: Waleska Del Valle Solórzano