The Old Arsenal of the Spanish Navy and the Old Asilo de la Beneficencia will become the epicenter of Latin American and Caribbean art for the next six monthsthanks to the opening of Poly/Graphic 2024 starting Friday, April 19, 2024.
Organized by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP), this important event will bring together in one place over 300 works by 93 artists, who come from 20 different countries.
Initially, there were 103 artists who would be present at the event, but due to an act of censorship by the former curator of Poli/Gráfica 2024, Lisa Ladner, with the work by Garvin Sierra, this number was reduced. He ICP offered a public apologybut that was not enough for the artists who withdrew, among them Antonio Martorell.
In a tour taken by El Nuevo Día, one day before the opening, countless people could be seen in the Old Arsenal of the Spanish Navy putting the finishing touches on this exhibition that has been in the making for six years and What will this year’s motto be? “Under Pressure”. From social movements to political crises, the exhibition explores how artists channel pressure and anxiety into their creative work, offering a unique look at the tumultuous contemporary reality.
“In 2017 they invited me to present a proposal to develop the fifth polygraphic triennial at that time. “I developed a proposal that was based on protest, precisely because of all the movements that were taking place in the United States, throughout Latin America and throughout the world.”he explained Elvis Fuentescurator of Poli/Gráfica of 2024. “At that time, the proposal was approved, but the hurricanes and the pandemic stopped everything.”
According to the curator, the original proposal had some changes and other elements of pressure were added, such as those at the climatic, social, political, economic and technological levels, both locally and in Latin American countries. The exhibition includes all types of plastic art, such as digital images, engravings, photographs, metalwork and crafts, among many others.
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During the tour of the exhibition, several plastic artists were present and spoke about their proposals, including Norma Vila Riverofrom Puerto Rico; Leonor Décourtfrom Brazil; Yucef Merhifrom Venezuela; María José Argenzio, from Ecuador; and Regina Aguilar, from Honduras. Other countries that will be represented at Poli/Gráfica 2024 are Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, United States, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, Jamaica, Paraguay and Uruguay.
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(Carlos Giusti/Staff)
Six years of hard work
Something that the ICP wanted to emphasize while they carried out the exhibition tour was the great effort and work they put in in recent years so that the Poli/Gráfica could open its doors to the public.
“After six years of work, it is very rich, very satisfying and exciting to be here, and for what is going to happen until September 15, with this great representation of visual art”, highlighted Carlos Ruiz Cortés, executive director of the ICP. “There are too many people behind this, although the main face is our artists. I can attest to dozens of colleagues, employees and people who have been working day and night to make this happen. Although it seems simple, it is not. It is a gigantic job that we will finally be able to enjoy for the next six months that will be free for all the people of Puerto Rico.”
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Historical platform
On the other hand, Maria del Mar Caragol, director of the ICP Plastic Arts Program, highlighted the importance of this event that celebrates the rich artistic tradition of the region. Since its creation in 1970, the San Juan Biennial of Latin American and Caribbean Printmaking was a beacon for artists and art lovers, providing a platform for creative expression and cultural dialogue.
“The San Juan Biennial of Latin American and Caribbean Engraving was held for the first time 54 years ago. At that time, the ICP created a platform that today allows us to exhibit a creative proposal where high-caliber Puerto Rican artists show works created with a lot of character, a lot of precision and also invites us to observe a thought that encompasses the Antilles as Caribbean citizens. and also to Latin America,” Caragol added.
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More than an exhibition
In addition to the works on display, the exhibition includes a reading room with historical publications, furniture designed by local artists and satellite projects presented by cultural institutions from all over Puerto Rico.
The collection will also be located in the Old Asilo de la Beneficencia, headquarters of the ICP. “Limbo: Marginal Gains”, which brings together pieces from previous biennials never before shown to the public. This complementary exhibition offers a unique vision of the history of art in Puerto Rico and its connection to the rest of the world.
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