New York City may be home to the largest population of Puerto
Ricans on the Mainland, but Chicago’s Puerto Ricans have worked together to
create the National
Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC). The Museo del
Barrio in New York has changed its mission to become a pan-Latino museum, but
the NMPRAC has grown to be the primary institute dedicated to celebrating
Puerto Rican artists from the island and mainland.
The NMPRAC was founded in 2000 by members of the Puerto Rican
community in Chicago. It is housed in a beautiful building in Humboldt Park,
that was built during the 1890’s as the Stable
and Receptory. The building was partially destroyed by fire in 1992.
It has been fully restored and renovated, creating three large galleries, and
also classroom space. There is also a permanent exhibit dedicated to the
history of the building and Humboldt Park in what was the office of the
original superintendent of the park, Jen
Jensen. The building is an architectural jewel, and city landmark.
It serves as a unique home for the museum.
On out visit, we visited the three exhibitions on display. In
the large first floor gallery was Expresión
de Barrio, Paintings by Reynaldo GuAracibo Rodriguez.
Mr. Rodriguez was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago during the 1990’s.
He has worked with many community organizations, creating public art in the
neighborhood, and teaching workshops for local youth. In this exhibit he
presents larger than life portraits of bomberos,
musicians and dancers in the Bomba
community in Chicago and Puerto Rico. His paintings are vibrant and beautiful,
capturing the life force and joy of his subjects. Painted on large pieces of
burlap, they also include hand written statements from each subject, describing
the importance of bomba in their
lives. (Through Spring 2019).
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| Maestro Roberto Cepeda and Gloria López de Cepeda |
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| Evaristo GuAracibo Rodriguez and Traditional Bombera Dress |
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| El Buleador: Marcos Ríos |
The second-floor gallery housed Art in Service of the People, an exhibit of historical posters,
films and books produced by Puerto Rico’s Division
of Community Education (DIVEDCO). From 1949 until 1990, DIVEDCO was
tasked with educating Puerto Rico’s poor and rural populations on topics
ranging from literacy to health to democracy, with a decidedly populist point
of view. They brought together artists, authors, and filmmakers. Together they
worked to educate the people, and create a sense of pride in Puerto Rican
culture in the face of attempts to “Americanize” the island during the first
half of the 20th Century. (Through Spring 2019).
There is a third Gallery, also on the first floor of the
museum. During our visit it was hosting Circo
de Ausencia (Circus of Absence). Created by the collective Y no había Luz, this collection of circus acts
represents the effects on Puerto Rico brought about by the disasters of PROMESA
and Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. They highlight the forced movement of
Puerto Ricans from the island to mainland. (Through Jan 2019).
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture is not
in the main tourist area of Chicago. But an afternoon visit, along with a walk
on Paseo Boricua, is a great way to explore a part of the city that most
visitors never get to see.
Getting There:
Take the Red or the Blue El train their Division Street
station. Take the #70 bus west bound, towards Austin. Exit at Humboldt Park –
California Ave.
