Vieques Amado by Augusto Marin (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Vieques Amado
Source: Pinterest

The twentieth century was a good time for Puerto Rican art, producing many of the island’s artistic luminaries. However, few twentieth century Puerto Rican artists are as well-known as Augusto Marin. Marin’s style evolved constantly throughout his career; his work was always on the edge of experimentation, combining Modernist styles with Caribbean themes and colors. Puerto Rican history and politics were major subjects in his art, and the painting I’m discussing today—Vieques Amado—is an excellent example of this aspect of his work.

The title of the piece (which translates to Beloved Vieques) references the island of Vieques, a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico that is considered to be part of the Puerto Rican territory. For many years, the United States Navy used the island as a bombing range, a source of great anger and sadness for many Puerto Ricans.

When Marin created Vieques Amado in the year 2000, the island was the source of protests and political controversy, with Puerto Ricans calling for the US government to cease bombing Vieques (this was eventually accomplished in 2003). Marin’s painting is a not-so-subtle show of support for this movement, a colorful symbol of his solidarity with the Viequenses.

Vieques Amado is an abstract work. Yet, if you study the piece closely symbols begin to emerge, including the Puerto Rican flag, birds, and swirling symbols that may reference Taino petroglyphs. Marin uses bright, vibrant colors to capture the energy and vitality of the island. This imagery contributes to Marin’s overall message: a call for peace.

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges by Henri Matisse (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges Source: Pinterest French artist Henri Matisse is rather famous for his paintings of goldfish. In fact, one of his most famous paintings, entitled Goldfish , depicts several of the aforementioned fish swimming in a bowl. Matisse is one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. His work is closely associated with the Fauvist movement and is generally characterized by great energy and rich, intense colors. Based on my research , Matisse began painting goldfish after he traveled to North Africa. In Morocco, Matisse observed locals watching goldfish swim in their bowls as they sunk into a meditative state. The fish subsequently became a symbol for this sense of tranquility, coming to represent an idyllic version of the world only accessible through joyous day-dreams. These calming fish are prominent in this painting, which is entitled Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges (which translates to The Cat With Red Fishes ). However, the serene energy of the fish
Read more

Mural La Plena by Rafael Tufiño (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Mural la Plena Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Today I want to chat about a monumental piece of art that I recently had the pleasure of seeing at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. As the name suggests, Mural La Plena is a massive mural, fifteen by thirty feet in size, that was created by Puerto Rican artist Rafael Tufiño to commemorate la plena, a wildly popular genre of music that was born in the city of Ponce around 1900. The mural, which might appear abstract or incomprehensible to a viewer unfamiliar with the subject matter, illustrates the lyrics of popular plena songs. For example, the blue-green figure that dominates the upper half of the mural represents the hurricane from the plena “Temporal,” which mourns the destruction caused by a storm. Plena, as a genre, tells stories. According to my research , the lyrics come from current events, re-telling the stories that affected the lives of the people of Ponce. It began as a way for people of low socio-economic sta
Read more

Five Puerto Rican Artists You Should Know

-
Image
The island of Puerto Rico has a long and vibrant artistic tradition. Western, Indigenous, and African cultures have all left their mark on Puerto Rican art, creating a colorful and unique visual legacy. While Puerto Rican artists have demonstrated their excellence throughout the years— from the creators of the captivating Taino petroglyphs to the sophisticated and subtle works of the Modernist painters—Puerto Rican art has received little attention from art historians and the wider art world. Here are five underappreciated Puerto Rican artists that you should know: 1. José Campeche José Campeche is often known as the first Puerto Rican painter in the Western history of fine arts. He was primarily known for his religious paintings and his portraits of elite Puerto Ricans, and today his work is recognized as some of the finest examples of Rococo art produced in the Americas. Campeche’s personal story is also inspiring. The son of a slave who had purchased his own freedom, Campech
Read more