Sofía Shaula Reeser-del Rio (b. 1989) is a Puerto Rican curator, scholar, multidisciplinary artist, and educator based between Puerto Rico, Madrid, and NYC. She focuses on uncovering untold histories and promoting narratives often overlooked in mainstream discourse. Her work investigates the intersections of art and science, civic culture, and the role of urban planning and architecture in building sustainable communities and communal environments.
Sofía has organized, consulted on, and produced major exhibitions centered on Latinx, Latin American, and Caribbean artists, with a particular focus on LGBTQ and self-identified female creatives from Puerto Rico. Her curatorial projects underscore these communities’ cultural and civic contributions while addressing themes such as memory, ecology, sustainability, and alternative models of economic and social production.
At El Museo del Barrio in New York (2012–2017), she played a pivotal role in supporting the organization and execution of over thirty exhibitions and numerous public programs, artists’ projects, site-specific installations, and off-site special projects. Some notable ones include NKAME: A Retrospective of Cuban Printmaker Belkis Ayón (2017), Antonio Lopez: Future Funk Fashion (2016), Illusive Eye (2016), Marisol (2015), Pa'Lante: Young Lords in New York (2015), PLAYING WITH FIRE: Political Interventions, Dissident Acts, and Mischievous Actions (2014), Museum Starter Kit: Open with Care (2013), La Bienal (2013), Caribbean Crossroads of the World (2012). As well as with innovative programs such as Artists in Residency, Lucky Sevens Art Salon, and Portfolio Reviews that reimagined contemporary artists’ roles and their relationships with the Museum.
Sofía holds an MFA from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain, and a BFA from Pratt Institute. She also studied at the University of Puerto Rico, where courses with leading visual artists, educators, and academics helped shape her practice. An active member of Mujeres de Islas, Inc. since 2010—a community-based NGO in Culebra, PR—she has been a certified Ashtanga Yoga, postnatal doula, and certified yoga instructor (among other certifications) since 2005.
Currently, as Curator and Associate Director of Programs at The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center in NYC, Sofía leads innovative digital storytelling and archival research initiatives. As Co-Curator of Historias and Project Lead of Nueva York Chronicles—in collaboration with Libertad O. Guerra—she is redefining how Latinx narratives are gathered, archived, and shared through interactive, multimedia platforms. Grounded in ecological working models and community wellness initiatives, her holistic approach has been recognized through various awards, fellowships, and residencies, affirming her commitment to advancing knowledge justice and reimagining public narratives.
