Mixed Media
34'X9'

A multi-media installation and series of programs that celebrate Puerto Rican history, both on the island of Puerto Rico and in New York City. This project seeks to bring forth collective memories of travel, migration and dislocation; of leaving home and creating home again. 

With the current (economic, social, political, health care, education) crisis threatening the island of Puerto Rico, the project seeks to delve into an exploration of the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to the United States, and the survival of communities and towns throughout the island. How does culture remain vibrant in times of such mobility? What are the memories that connect us to the various places we call home?

Over the next three months, Román will collaborate with the Loisada Center, a historic cultural center located in New York City’s Lower East Side - a neighborhood with a historically high concentration of Puerto Ricans that brings together residents from both the Island and New York City for creative learning, innovation and a celebration of culture.

From May-July, a variety of workshops will take place both at Loisaida and at Facebook. A series of interviews will generate content to be incorporated into the Facebook installation, such as portraits of community members, personal objects and hand-written stories. The piece will evolve and grow over time, becoming a vibrant collage of Puerto Rican identity, culture, and community empowerment amidst a backdrop of change, uncertainty and transformation.