rotomolded coolers, acrylic paint, cultural textiles, gold mirrored acrylic, found objects, and hand painted mural
Elevar La Cultura is an immersive sculptural installation featuring a twenty-two-foot-tall neo-Mayan pyramid built from the objects of everyday hustle—ice coolers reborn as icons and fused with ancestral textiles, sacred symbols, and mural work. Created by Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez, a Brooklyn-based artist with Boston roots, Elevar La Cultura stands as both a monument and an offering, fusing street aesthetics, ancestral iconography, and contemporary storytelling into a powerful visual language that uplifts the voices too often left out of traditional narratives.
Originally commissioned by The Shed in New York City, Elevar La Cultura debuted this past July as part of the organization’s annual Open Call program, curated by Deja Belardo, Associate Curator of Civic Programs and Visual Art at The Shed. Belardo selected Quiñonez as one of twelve groundbreaking artists reimagining identity and resistance through contemporary art. Inspired by the beauty and resilience of immigrant street vendors and undocumented workers across the country, this artwork honors the creativity, labor, and survivance that fuel resilience and build legacy within many hard-working and vulnerable communities.
For Quiñonez, coolers doubled as both conceptual and material building blocks for Elevar La Cultura. “Most people see the cooler as a tool for leisure, not for survival; it’s for barbecues, tailgating, and celebrations. But for immigrant communities, the cooler is a tool and symbol for opportunity and independence. In every major city, you see families and vendors selling fruit, food, and water out of these coolers on the streets and in subway stations. They’re a necessity for survival and a way to start an honest living,” the artist shares.
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About the Artist
Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez (b.1977) is a Mexican-born, Brooklyn-based artist whose bold “Neo Indigenous” aesthetic merges street culture with ancestral tradition. With roots in graffiti and street art, his work spans large-scale murals, fine art, design, sculpture, and installations – each piece a vivid reflection of cultural pride, social justice, and community empowerment.
Internationally recognized for his dynamic visual language, Marka27 has exhibited globally and collaborated with major brands while creating landmark public art in cities across the U.S. He is a Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize winner (2025) and a Right of Return and Art for Justice Fellow (2023, 2024), using his platform to amplify narratives around immigration, incarceration, and identity. Through his art, Marka27 invites viewers into a vibrant space where heritage and urban expression powerfully coexist.
A Special Thank You to Our Supporters
Elevar La Cultura is one of 12 artist projects commissioned as part of The Shed’s 2025 Open Call: Portals, curated by Dejá Belardo, Associate Curator, Civic Programs and Visual Art at The Shed.
Support for Open Call is generously provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund; the Howard Gilman Foundation; the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Sarah Arison, in honor of Misty Copeland; and The Wescustogo Foundation. The creation of new work at The Shed is generously supported by the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Commissioning Fund. Major support for live productions at The Shed is provided by the Charina Endowment Fund and the Shubert Foundation, with additional support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Elevar La Cultura is brought to The Greenway in partnership with Street Theory Collective and through a grant from New Commonwealth Fund.
Public Art on The Greenway is made possible with major support from the Barr Foundation, Goulston & Storrs, the Greenway Business Improvement District, the Mabel Louise Riley Foundation, Meet Boston, the Wagner Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation.
Additional support is provided by the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, and New Commonwealth Fund.
Special thanks to project collaborators Powerhouse Arts and ARUP.
About New Commonwealth Fund (newcommonwealthfund.org)
A holistic approach to systems change, New Commonwealth Fund’s (NCF) strategy integrates investment, capacity-building, and ecosystem development, positioning us as a leader in redefining philanthropic practices for long-term impact. NCF makes a forever pledge to build a Commonwealth where non-profit leaders and communities have access to philanthropic dollars. We aspire to a world that listens to those who are the most proximate to solutions and allows them to lead the collective movement toward repair. NCF is committed to reshaping the philanthropic sector to ensure that funding supports a full spectrum of leadership and expertise.
About Street Theory Collective (street-theory.com)
Street Theory Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that empowers underrepresented creatives by fortifying and amplifying their respective art forms through talent and business development, intergenerational mentorship, cross-sector collaboration, and local engagement to increase equity in creative industries and build a more inclusive creative sector. Through artist residencies, community-centered exhibitions, and cross-sector partnerships, we build platforms for artists to ideate, create, and thrive—while reshaping access and equity in the arts.
About The Greenway and the Conservancy
The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston and one of the most visited attractions in the Commonwealth, welcoming millions of visitors annually. The Greenway is managed by the Greenway Conservancy, a non-profit responsible for the administration and care of the park. The majority of the Conservancy’s annual budget is made up of generous donations from the community, and it is with their support that the Conservancy cultivates a gathering space where all are welcome and celebrated.
The Greenway Conservancy Public Art Program brings innovative and contemporary art to Boston through free, seasonal exhibitions that engage people in meaningful experiences, interactions, and dialogue with art, each other, and the most pressing issues of our time. Past Greenway exhibitions can be viewed on the Public Art Instagram (@greenwaypublicart) or the Conservancy’s website.
