Between Two Worlds by Myrna Báez (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Between Two Worlds
Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
Myrna Báez is one of the seminal artists of Puerto Rico’s modernist movement. Báez, who studied in Spain, produced very distinctive work. She was heavily influenced by impressionism and surrealism; there are even elements of cubism in her style. Although Báez didn’t want to be purely identified as a Puerto Rican artist, her work was certainly informed by her heritage.

In particular, Between Two Worlds explores her Puerto Rican identity. The piece portrays a road that runs next to a field, a typical scene in the Puerto Rican countryside. A shadow falls over approximately two thirds of the painting with rectangular chunks removed to show the brighter colors underneath. To the left, a woman walks down the road; her face is blurred, as if captured in motion.

The color contrast represents the two worlds referenced in the title, while the walking woman symbolically represents the liminal space between these worlds. The exact identity of these two worlds is unclear. Báez’s painting could represent the dichotomy between urban and rural, the conflict between forces of colonization and heritage, or the clash of Puerto Rican culture with the Western influences Báez encountered while studying in Europe.

In a broader sense, the painting examines the universal experience of being pulled in two different directions, negotiating the contrasts and dichotomies that fill human life. At its core, the painting explores the psychological reality faced by many people living in the modern world, particularly those dealing with the consequences of colonization. The painting is also remarkable for the way the woman’s body blends into the landscape, a modernist exploration of color, form, and feeling. However you choose to interpret it, the painting is rich in symbolism and meaning, leaving a deep impact on the viewer.

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 f...
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