In the vast sea of the Puerto Rican independent art scene, there are a few artists who have been leaving their mark visually. While the music, photography, and literature sections are thriving on their own, it is safe to say graphic artists, painters, and other visual forms are getting their fair share of light. The following list compiles just a few of the artists who are making their own path in the scene.
Christian L. Villanueva A.K.A Pixelate For Work
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
Mainly focused on the field of comic books, Christian L. Villanueva is an artist whose work is characterized by his self-reflective themes, biographical strips, and documentation of the Puerto Rican independent arts scene, the main subject in his comic “Gracias Por Venir,” where he documents a rock show which took place in Mayagüez. Villanueva’s work demonstrates a unique perspective showing that we should definitely keep an eye out for his future work.
(cover of the artist’s comic book “Gracias Por Venir” as found on Facebook)
Paola Penchi
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
An art graduate of the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez, Paola Penchi is a Boricua currently-based in the States whose lightly colored work is highly influenced by a variety of styles, but some that are very noticeable are surrealism, psychedelia, and work found in classic children’s books. Her work explores a variety of themes such as identity, female roles and sexuality, among others.
(a piece by the artist as found on Facebook)
Brujo Vive
(picture of the artist as found on Twitter)
Many artists like to keep their lives private and show who they are through their work; Brujo Vive is one of these. It wasn’t until recently that he started to show his face to the public. After years of letting his work and tweets speak for him, the only real information one could learn about Brujo is that he has a passion for sports, Puerto Rican figures, urban culture, and sex. After a single glimpse, one can find how he truly wishes to demonstrate his interests and passions through his colorful artstyle.
(work by Brujo Vive as found on Twitter)
Melissa Vargas A.K.A. Melincuencia
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
Originally out of the island’s west, Melissa Vargas, also known as Melincuencia, is an artist with a unique and completely distinctive style. An illustrator, designer, dancer, and muralist, Vargas’ colorful pieces are time machines that will take any child of the 1980s or 1990s to the past while providing a new perspective on the subject she is tackling. When one sees her work, one can definitely see others and tell who is the artist behind them.
(one of Melincuencia’s pieces as found on Facebook)
Fabian Alexander Rodriguez Toro A.K.A. F.A.R.T.
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
An artist from Puerto Rico’s west-coast, Fabian Alexander Rodríguez Toro, also known as F.A.R.T., is a collage artist known for his colorful pieces which reflect the mixture of tropical and urban landscapes Puerto Rico has to offer. His work has been featured in a variety of spaces including some of the streets of Mayagüez where one could see some of his collages. F.A.R.T.’s work can be defined by a variety of words, but if I were to pick just a few I would say: “psychedelic”, “retro”, “surreal”, “tropical”, and “urban.”
(work by F.A.R.T. as found on Facebook)
Ebony Torres A.K.A. ÉBO
(picture of the artist as found on her Facebook)
Ebony Torres is an independent artist and illustrator whose work explores a variety of topics such as sexual orientation, gender roles, race, mental health, and marginalized communities through styles that vary, as she states, from “realistic to surreal.” Her work takes form in a variety of ways such as stickers and digital art.
(stickers by artist as found on her online store)
Milton Perez A.K.A. Gaquino
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
Milton Pérez is currently a student at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez whose work has expanded in a variety of ways. His colorful, psychedelic, and surreal pieces take the form of digital art, clothing, stickers, and videos which are being featured in a variety of nightlife events. While much of his work can explore one’s connection with religion and politics, they also explore one’s role as a person, artist, and being in this world.
(self-portrait of the artist as found on Facebook)
Mariela Pabón
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
Mariela Pabón is an illustrator and comic book artist known for her strip Check-In which, in the past few years, has seen a lot of success and attention from people in Puerto Rico and the Diaspora. In the strips, the artist chronicles her life and that of others in a very relatable fashion, especially for all forms of millennials. She also explores subjects such as identity, politics, sex, and love in a comedic tone. As of recent, she has taken on the subject of fortune tellers and horoscopes.
(a recent piece by the artist as found on Facebook)
Luis F. “Güillo” Cruz A.K.A. Kroniko Arte
(picture of Güillo as found on Facebook)
Luis F. Cruz, known as Güillo by loved ones or Kroniko by people in the scene, has been in the field for quite a while. An artist disciplined in a variety of fields such as hip-hop, poetry, and bomba, Güillo is an artist whose work is highly influenced by Puerto Rican figures, one of these being Ramón Emeterio Betances whose name carries the name of the artistic space he co-manages Galería Betances. His work is also influenced by hip-hop culture, African and Taíno roots, identity, as well as politics and social critique.
(a recent piece by Kroniko as found on Facebook)
Omar Banuchi
(picture of the artist as found on Facebook)
One part of the group behind the very successful independent comic book Días, Omar Banuchi is an artist known for documenting his life through his digital art and comic strips. In these works, he chronicles his life while exploring themes like male and female roles, everyday Puerto Rican life and identity through a variety of styles from straightforward storytelling to surrealism and poetry, and even playful activities where the reader can take a part in the creative process.
(self-portrait by the artist as found on Facebook)
Puerto Rico’s independent art scene continues to grow every day and a variety of artists are documenting and/or reflecting on their lives and surroundings providing different ways for people to look at their realities. The artists in this list are just a few that take us down the path of self-reflection. While their styles vary from one to the next, that is the beautiful part of the independent scene in Puerto Rico; one can find a variety of options that can make you think about you as a person and your role in society and how it affects the island and/or the Diaspora. In the face of any form of adversity, internal or external, art is always a medium to express yourself, and these artists are just a few who decide to do that in a creative and visual form.