‘We Americans’ Celebrates Puerto Rican Community, Pride, and Cultural Hybridity — Huge
In late September, the NFL caused a stir when it announced that Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show. He is one of the most watched music artists in the world, and while many fans rejoiced, the news caused a stir among conservatives, who took issue with the fact that he performed primarily in Spanish and criticized the current administration. Bad Bunny has since hit back at the show saturday night liveilluminates the culture wars in America’s polarized political climate.
With Puerto Rican Heritage Month right around the corner, it seems fitting that a group show honoring the island nation and its diaspora community is about to open at Claire Oliver Gallery in New York City. we americansThe exhibition, curated by Ruben Natal-San Miguel, brings together the work of 10 artists whose creations reflect “the history, resilience and cultural contributions of the Puerto Rican community in New York City and beyond,” the gallery said.
Through photography, painting, sculpture, prints, textiles, and mixed media works, the exhibition highlights Puerto Rican community and identity. The title is taken from “America,” a 1985 poem by Tato Laviera, a rhythmic and joyful celebration of cultural hybridity.
we americans An intergenerational group of artists is highlighted, ranging from acclaimed established practices such as Carlos Rolón, Carlos Betancourt and Danielle de Jesus to fresh perspectives from young and emerging artists such as Felix Plaza, Erica Morales and Elsa María Meléndez.
For example, Natal-San Miguel’s vibrant photographs are taken from his series Puerto Rico: Paradise Ruined, its consequences, In it, he documented the homes and businesses that were severely damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes in the aftermath of the storm. “Since the hurricane, an estimated 114,000 to 213,000 Puerto Ricans have relocated to the mainland United States each year,” the artist said in a statement.
A range of media facilitate cross-cultural experiences. De Jesus meticulously painted the front of the house with the Puerto Rican flag on two U.S. one-dollar bills. Meléndez turned to textiles, on which she embroidered portraits and created sculptural elements using a range of patterned fabrics. Bettencourt uses a range of found objects to create assemblages, sculptures and large-scale printed installations.
“This exhibition is a celebration as well as an act of conservation, documenting the creativity, power and ongoing impact of Puerto Rican artists through the generations,” Natal-San Miguel said. “Through their work, we see not just individual narratives, but collective stories of immigration, labor, resilience and cultural pride.”
we americans The exhibition opens in Harlem on November 5 and runs through January 3. Please visit the Claire Oliver Gallery website for more information. You might also admire artist Adrián Viajero Román’s portraits that reflect the experience of the Puerto Rican diaspora.
