BY MARÍA JOSÉ RODRÍGUEZ-REXACH
This piece, created for a letterpress print project, presents a hypothetical scene, reflective of the unity and relentlessness of the Puerto Rican community. The cloth that reads “Se Fue la Luz” (The Power Is Out) is draped over a billboard with LUMA Energy’s logo, reflective of a boricua’s discontent with the island’s electrical grid; it reflects the frustration with those who oversee these systems and continually fail to improve them. “El Apagón” is a response to the blackouts that have become a consistent part of a Puerto Rican’s day-to-day life.
Since starting my studio arts collegiate career in the United States, I’ve felt most inclined to create work about Puerto Rico. I create work about intimate spaces and objects with the objective of understanding how and why they gain their meaning and become personal. “El Apagón”, while seemingly addressing a more political and controversial topic different to my other work, features personal themes too. Having lived through Hurricane María back in 2017, it’s strange and frustrating to view the island’s situation from afar, to become a mere spectator of it. I think this is why I feel the responsibility and need to use art as not only my outlet, but as a way to educate and shed light on the unseen. I want to cultivate awareness and solidarity.
María José Rodríguez-Rexach is a junior Studio Arts B.S. major and Museum Studies minor from Puerto Rico. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, capturing sweet memories through pictures and spending quality time with friends. She is also tremendously passionate about art; her artwork explores personal spaces, specifically how and why they gain value.
