El Toque Criollo
- Artist: Raimond Chaves
- Date: 2003–7
- Medium: 84 sleeves, 71 vinyl records and text
- Dimensions: Overall display dimensions variable
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is “The Criollo Touch” by Raimond Chaves, a contemporary Latin American installation that invites you to feel the rhythm of memory. Between 2003 and 2007 the artist arranged 84 cardboard sleeves, 71 vinyl records, and a stack of handwritten notes, turning the gallery space into a tactile soundtrack. The title hints at the “criollo” identity—a blend of cultural heritage and everyday life—while the physical objects echo the sound of old vinyl, a nostalgic echo of communal gatherings and stories. The loose arrangement encourages you to walk through, touch the sleeves, and imagine the music that once filled living rooms. Chaves layers the material with text that hints at forgotten lyrics, creating a dialogue between sound and silence. This piece, acquired in 2009 with support from the Latin American Acquisitions Committee, invites you to pause and hear the layers of history that pulse beneath the surface.
See it in person
El Toque Criollo is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
