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Allora & Calzadilla’s London show spotlights Puerto Rico’s “foreign in a domestic sense” status, linking historic tax disputes to modern economic strain.
Allora & Calzadilla’s “Foreign in a Domestic Sense” opened at Lisson Gallery in London, foregrounding Puerto Rico’s ambiguous U.S. status through a sculpture of black‑wax‑coated oranges that visitors must pass on entry and exit, underscoring the island’s long‑standing fiscal and resource‑extraction challenges [1].
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Exhibition | “Foreign in a Domestic Sense” at Lisson Gallery |
| Opening date | November 11 2017 (closing) |
| Core work | “Loss” (2017) – black‑wax oranges |
| Catalyst | Historical 1901 Supreme Court ruling on Puerto Rican import duties |
The show’s title derives from Chief Justice Edward E. White’s 1901 Supreme Court opinion that described Puerto Rico as “foreign in a domestic sense,” a phrase that frames the duo’s critique of the island’s unincorporated‑territory status [1]. The artists trace this legal legacy to a 1901 customs case where merchant Samuel Downes sued over import duties on oranges, arguing that Puerto Rico, now a U.S. territory, should be exempt. The Court rejected the claim, separating Puerto Rican civil liberties from federal fiscal control [1]. By casting oranges in black wax, the artists symbolise the economic extraction that has persisted for over a century, a theme reinforced by the Jones Act’s requirement that all island imports travel on U.S.-flagged vessels, inflating prices and limiting competition [1].
Beyond “Loss,” the exhibition includes a 15‑minute film, “The Night We Became People Again,” shot at abandoned sites such as the former CORCO petrochemical plant and a sugar refinery, visually echoing the island’s depopulation as residents seek mainland opportunities [1]. A transformer‑explosion relic titled “Blackout” (2017) embodies Puerto Rico’s chronic power‑grid failures, while the massive wall relief “Manifest” (2017) is cast from bat guano and a cargo‑ship engine—materials tied to U.S. resource extraction and the Jones Act’s shipping monopoly [1]. Periodic performances by the London‑based choir MUSARC, singing David Lang’s “mains hum,” activate the space, linking the artwork’s themes to the lived experience of electricity scarcity on the island [1].
The sources provide no data on digital‑asset prices, tokenomics, or on‑chain activity related to the exhibition or the artists. Consequently, conventional crypto‑focused tables (price, 24‑hour move, support/resistance) are not applicable in this context.
The show re‑examines a century‑old legal paradox, reminding viewers that Puerto Rico’s fiscal limbo remains a live issue, amplified by recent disasters and ongoing political debate.
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The collaborative duo consists of Jennifer Allora, born March 20, 1974, in Philadelphia, and Guillermo Calzadilla, born January 10, 1971, in Havana, Cuba.
The exhibition explores Puerto Rico’s liminal status as an unincorporated U.S. territory, highlighting historical and contemporary economic and infrastructural challenges.
The Jones Act mandates that all goods imported to Puerto Rico travel on American‑owned and staffed vessels, limiting competition and raising prices for island residents.