Two years ago, graphic artists from Puerto Rico and Spain began a cultural exchange that goes beyond the art of printmaking, but rather underlines a connection between peoples. Today (July 3, 2009) at 6:00pm, the traveling exhibition “Gráfica Contemporánea de Puerto Rico” [Contemporary Graphic Arts in Puerto Rico] opens at the Liga de Arte [Art League] in Old San Juan, after its term at the Museum of Huelva in Spain. The collective exhibition includes seven Puerto Rican printmakers— Maritza Dávila, Osvaldo de Jesús, Consuelo Gotay, Haydée Landing, Víctor Rodríguez, Orlando Salgado and Fernando Santiago— with a total of 24 works representing a great variety of techniques and personal styles of each artist.

The exhibition idea began after Argentine artist Miguel Carini invited several Puerto Rican graphic artists to present their work in Spain. Carini made the acquaintance of many local artists in 2007 when he presented his series “Sur a Sur” [South to South] at the Museum of Contemporary Art [Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MAC)]. After the success of the exhibition in Huelva, the artists discussed the idea of bringing the collective exhibition to Puerto Rico. One of the goals of the exhibition is to highlight the importance of printmaking as a creative medium, but most of all, the event represents a bridge between graphic arts in the Caribbean and in Spain.

“Gráfica Contemporánea de Puerto Rico” will be at the Art League until July 29. Then it will travel to the Inter-American University in San Germán and later to other printmaking centers around the island.

For full article (in Spanish), see http://www.elnuevodia.com/grabadositinerantes-587410.html

Image of Maritza Dávila’s print (not part of exhibition) from http://www.atabeira.com/md_statement.html