Shey ‘Rí Acu’ Rivera Ríos (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist and cultural worker. They use performance, video, and installation to create digital and physical altars that interrupt colonial memory and become doors into decolonial futures. Rivera is founder of Studio Loba, a social practice and production lab that uses art and cultural practice for liberatory futures. Rivera was born and raised in Borikén/Puerto Rico and lives in Providence, RI –land of Narragansett and Wampanoag peoples.
Altar Transmissions 009, 2025
Photograph on Fabric 40″ x 30″
Additional Info
Artist Website: Shey ‘Rí Acu’ Rivera Ríos
Instagram: @sheyriv
Part of Growing the NetWorks
This artist was selected by a past NetWorks Rhode Island participant as part of Growing the NetWorks — a 2025 exhibition presented by WaterFire Providence, at the WaterFire Arts Center, celebrating peer-nominated artists from across Rhode Island. Learn more at waterfire.org/growingthenetworks
Highlighting the work of selected artists who have played vital roles in shaping the contemporary visual arts community in Rhode Island. This collection of brief video portraits provides a window into the lives, practices, and cultural contributions of professional artists.
