Art can affect and transform us at a deep personal level but it can also transform entire communities. In this post, we’ll be exploring the visual side art that can radically transform communities. Specifically, we’ll talk about two urban art projects in Puerto Rico that show a deeply committed love towards our culture and our communities. Several local artists have joined and made murals expressing the beautiful country of Puerto Rico using key elements that show off our unique and joyful culture. In some cases, the murals were exclusively created to convey a message of hope after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. These beautiful and colorful pieces show how much our island has begun to flourish again, even when the circumstances were and may continue to be horrifying few.
Painted on the walls of some of the buildings of the iconic Yauco, the “Yaucromatic” initiative uses urban art as a way to transform hard times into hope. Murals were created by local and international artists who took on the task of using urban art and combining it with the history of the town, to produce a sensational set of murals that are an attack of color, ideas and hope. This colorful and artistic initiative is attracting both local and international visitors. If you live nearby or you happen to travel to Yauco, give yourself a treat and visit this open-air gallery! Below you will find a few samples of this amazing project. You can also visit the project website: yaucromatic.com (http://yaucromatic.com/) to learn more about each artist and the project and to plan your visit.
Another artistic initiative is “78 pueblos, una bandera ” created by the artist Héctor Collazo. This is another project dedicated to highlighting the Puerto Rican flag in different parts of the island. This initiative does not promote any political parties and the artist carries out the design of the flag in several different and creative ways. Some of the flags have been painted in places frequented by tourists and other flags were painted in places where the beauty of nature is highlighted. Go picture-hunting this wonderful project around the island and get to visit the core communities of Puerto Rico.
Both artistic initiatives involve the community in their painting process, not only from the public but also from the community. In addition to promoting art in their home towns, they also dedicate their time to help other communities as well, as it is the case of “Yaucromatic”. These initiatives help carry out community service and cultural activities for the entertainment of their visitors. I believe that in each community we must create a space to promote art and culture to strengthen our Puerto Rican identity.