Art is the Solution

There are few subjects in Puerto Rican art that carry more emotional and cultural significance than the baquiné . The baquiné is a traditional practice that has its roots in African cultures; the ceremony, which is essentially a wake, celebrates the child’s ascension to Heaven after his or her death and is underpinned by the belief that the dead infant is now an angel.  Baquiné II (El gran ciempiés) Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Naturally, this sad, yet poetic, subject inspired much creative and emotional outpouring. In fact, the baquiné is the subject of one of the most famous paintings in Puerto Rico’s history: Francisco Oller’s El Velorio .  Baquiné III (Zape, zape, zape) Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Which is why José Alicea’s Baquiné series is such an important group of paintings in the story of Puerto Rico. Alicea, who studied with the great Puerto Rican artist Miguel Pou, is best known today for his prints and woodcuts. This particular series of prints ...

Bolívar Marquez Source: Flint Institute of Arts For the past two days, I’ve been discussing the art of conflict and how artists respond to war. I’m going to continue that today with a look at a different kind of conflict: political struggle. Art has long been a part of politics and political conflict. It is an excellent tool for spreading political messages and ideas; and history is dotted with political posters and paintings that changed hearts and minds. In the history of Puerto Rican art, political art tends to bend towards one cause: Puerto Rican independence and an end of colonialism. José Alicea clearly demonstrates this tendency in his print Bolívar Marquez . The print references a real historical event—the Ponce Massacre—however, Alicea’s print is more interested in conveying a political message than documenting the event itself. The Ponce Massacre occurred On Palm Sunday, March 21, 1937, when members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and other civilians gathered in...

Collar y Cemí Source: The Museum of Modern Art When examining Puerto Rican art, you will find that the Taino people—Puerto Rico’s original inhabitants—are a recurring theme. Many Puerto Rican artists draw inspiration from the artifacts of Taino culture, taking advantage of their distinctive visual style to create bold and meaningful art. The idea that modern Puerto Ricans are connected to the Tainos—either genetically or culturally—is an important cornerstone of Puerto Rican identity and an underpinning concept in the Puerto Rican nationalist movement. Puerto Rican artist José Alicea explores this idea in his print Collar y Cemí . Alicea is one of many Puerto Rican artists who became interested in printmaking in the mid to late twentieth century. Today, he is well known for his prints and woodcuts and for his interest in portraying social and historical subjects. At first glance, Collar y Cemí appears to be a drawing of a Taino collar, a ritual item often uncovered at archeologi...