Untitled by Marta Pérez García (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Untitled by Marta Pérez García
Untitled
Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
The beauty of the natural world is a common theme in Puerto Rican art. Painters like Francisco Oller, Miguel Pou, and Augusto Marin often celebrate the island’s natural abundance, especially the rich variety of plants grown on the island.

This untitled painting by Puerto Rican artist Marta Pérez García continues in this tradition, albeit in a much less figurative style. García’s piece takes familiar elements of the Puerto Rican landscape—such as snakes, birds, lizards, and leaves—and strips them down to their essential elements. What remains is an abstracted vision of Puerto Rico, painted in vibrant shades of purple, blue, green, and orange.

These colors are a large part of what makes the painting so attractive. The bright colors and rich textures of the untitled piece draw the viewer’s eye while creating an aura of warmth and energy.

While this painting is a clear celebration of the natural world, there is also a darker element within her work. As a biography of the artist explains, “Her work addresses the dichotomies of life and death and oppression and empowerment where elements of nature and symbols of culture intertwine in an unpredictable fusion of fierce colors and layered textures.” Thus, each element of her painting contains within itself the symbolic means of its own destruction, perpetuating the endless cycles of creation and destruction that shape our world.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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