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| Rincon Criollo - photo by Molly Garfinkel -www.culturework.uoregon.edu |
The Casita has been a cultural icon among Puerto Ricans living in NYC going back to the 1970's. Casita - which literally means little house has been a place where people from the island have created cultural homes and social centers. During the 1970's and 80's large parts of the Bronx were abandoned and buildings burned down leaving empty lots. Groups of people, often from the same town in Puerto Rico reclaimed some of these lots. They cleaned them and built gardens. At the center of the garden they would construct a one or two room casita with a veranda.
These gardens and houses became centers of social life. People would come in the evenings and on the weekends. They would grow crops from the island that were hard to find in NY's supermarkets. People would bring instruments and spend time playing bomba and son and salsa. One of the best known was the Casita Rincon Criollo also known as La Casita de Chema. Founded by José Manuel "Chema" Soto, this casita became home and school for bomba y plena and drumming.
At the Festival del Loaiza this year the Caribbean Cultural Center - African Diaspora Institute organized an art instillation in tribute to the the concept of La Casita. Titled La Casita/La'Kay, four artists were invited to create original pieces on a structure to represent the idea of La Casita. Manny Vega, Adrian Roman, David Zayas and Damaris Cruz each created an original piece in real time during the festival.
Damaris Cruz
Damaris Cruz is an artist from Puerto Rico. Her work for this instillation evoked the feeling of being caught "in between" that many immigrants feel.
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| Damaris Cruz working on her piece - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz -Laying the foundation - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - The work is taking shape - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - Coffee is Important - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - Caught in between - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
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| Damaris Cruz - Loiza Festival 07/25/2015 |
David Zayas
David Zayas was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He studied and graduated from School of Fine Arts in San Juan Puerto Rico, where he lives today. His work has been exhibited at many museums in Puerto Rico including Museo de las Americas and Museo de Arte de Caguas.
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Photo by Evelyn Morales - David Zayas - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
Adrian "Viajero" Roman
New York born and bred, Adrian Roman began studying art as a youngster at The Pratt Institute and the Art Students League. He went to earn an AFA from The Art School of the Americas in Miami. He draws on his experiences and travels throughout the United States and the Caribbean. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. For this piece he created a tribute to Tato Lavieri who created the first Festival del Loiza in NYC.
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Viajero - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
Manny Vega
Born in the Bronx, Manny Vega has been a prolific artist who ties together his life in NYC, his Puerto Rican heritage and his involvement for many years with the religious and cultural life of Salvador, Bahia Brazil. Manny's work be can seen throughout El Barrio. He has close ties to Museo Del Barrio and The Guggenheim Museum.
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
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| Manny Vega - Festival del Loiza 7/25/2015 |
If you missed the Festival but are interested in the art work, despair not. It has been stored away and will be given a place of prominence when The Caribbean Cultural Center opens it new home in el Barrio in the Fall of 2016.
Great piece. Nice highlighting of Puerto Rican artists both here and on the island. I can't wait to see the installation in situ. AMD
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