University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez’s (UPRM) own pop-up, Arte en la Placita, is like a mini art festival. The tradition, initially started and still maintained by students, never fails to deliver in quality. This past Thursday, August 31st, Arte en la Placita returned with a different theme: Júntate, or “Come Together.” This new theme was a call for all artists, artisans, poets, musicians, and student associations to come together and display UPRM’s diverse group of talented students. To participate and display their work, the artists just had to bring their table or booth and set up in any spot of their choosing.
On Thursday, Arte en la Placita started before the scheduled time; by 10:00 AM, the square in front of Chardón was already full of students and alumni. Among the several booths, there were handmade soaps and body scrubs by Moriviví, jewelry made with bullet casings by Angélica Román, vegan and gluten-free food, natural juices, among many other pieces of art and food. A henna artist decorated many people, while a body painter called Tamara made my body a part of nature by painting a white and yellow flower across the middle of my back.
Music was in the air. First, by a musician whose voice would make the band Cultura Profética want to adopt him and whose style was heavily influenced by Silvio Rodríguez. Afterwards, during the open mic, Karma Moon sang, accompanied by her trademark ukulele. Many UPRM students spoke out against the deposit of ashes in Tallaboa, Peñuelas, while others were giving away protective face masks. The protest is alive within the student collective as they continue teaching others about the environmental and toxic havoc the ashes have caused on the people of Tallaboa. A member of the student organization Estudiantes en Pie de Lucha updated students about their ongoing discussions about having “strikes with open gates”, emphasizing how the cost of education, classes, admission, as well as every single service given by the UPR system, will almost double in price starting next year. Other associations like Campus Verde, as well as artisans, spoke a bit about themselves. As the open mic progressed, several other colegiales let their poetic muses soar and flirt with the audience.
Arte en la Placita never fails to impress. The square was always full of spectators and people socializing and many were enjoying the entertainment. This sort of bohemian event serves as a relaxing escape from the college stress. We await anxiously until the next time Arte en la Placita pops up.