When Eye Faced Myself, I Drew Blood: A Landmark Self-Portrait Art Exhibition by Dylan Collazo Opens in Allentown
Allentown, PA- Collazo Studio is proud to announce When Eye Faced Myself, I Drew Blood, a groundbreaking solo exhibition by Lehigh Valley born artist Dylan Collazo, opening Friday, November 28, 2025, from 6–9 PM at Inkwell (1125 Hamilton St., Allentown, PA).
Collazo’s most personal body of work to date, the exhibition offers an unguarded look at self-excavation, identity, and the inheritance of memory. For the first time, the artist presents an entire collection devoted exclusively to self-portraiture and narrative works. These paintings are drawn directly from his lived experience, each carrying decades of struggle, reflection, and revelation.
“Art, for me, is proof of life,” says Collazo. “It’s how I measure time, how I document events, and how I reconcile the turbulence of my beginnings.”
Born in Allentown and of Puerto Rican ancestry, Collazo’s work confronts the complexities of identity in America with a rare combination of vulnerability and precision. His canvases, layered with history, symbolism, and emotional grit, serve as artifacts of survival and tributes to lineage. Through his artwork, he confronts trauma, honors predecessors, and imagines the legacy his children and community will one day inherit.
At its core, When Eye Faced Myself, I Drew Blood is about the act of confrontation: with the self, with history, and with the trauma that shapes a life. These works are not simply portraits, they are openings, where both pain and light break through.
“What began as a way to abstractly record my life became an excavation,” Collazo explains. “By digging through memory and trauma, I realized I was building something larger than myself: a doctrine, a legacy, a voice.”
The exhibition’s location at inkwell., just blocks from where Collazo grew up, deepens the show’s resonance, transforming it into both a homecoming and a communal mirror.
Opening night will feature:
- Live music by Heartheaded
- A performance by GT3 Jazz Quartet
- A signature grazing table by A Couple Craves
- Light refreshments and an intimate gallery experience
Doors open at 6PM
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About Collazo Studio: Collazo Studio is the creative hub and business arm behind COLLAZO’s work. Focused on curating events, driving marketing, and shaping strategy, the studio serves as a platform for collaboration and cultural activation. From pop-ups to exhibitions, Collazo Studio brings together art, community, and storytelling to amplify voices and create space for meaningful connection.
Information provided to TVL by:
Jess Collazo
