PAINTING AT THE SANSE: CIUDAD MUSEO AT THE 2024 FIESTAS DE LA CALLE SAN SEBASTIÁN

PAINTING AT THE SANSE: CIUDAD MUSEO AT THE 2024 FIESTAS DE LA CALLE SAN SEBASTIÁN BY: Nomar Pellot Date: 31 de enero de 2024 The excitement of being part of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián is indescribable. This event, one of the largest cultural celebrations in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, is a hotbed of art, music, and tradition that captures the vibrant essence of our archipelago. This year, Ciudad Museo had the honor of being invited by the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP) to participate in its artistic offerings, sharing space with other talents such as the collective “Y No Había Luz,” artisans, creative industries, and more. Being considered to be part of such a significant event, especially as an organization from the western region, was not only a recognition of our work but also an invaluable opportunity to present ourselves to a national audience and showcase the hard work we do in the arts. During the Saturday and Sunday of the festival, Ciudad Museo presented its popular workshop, a Pintata, a creative and collaborative activity that has captured the imagination of many people since its inception. A Pintata is not just a painting workshop; it is a team-building and artistic expression experience that culminates in the creation of a collective mural. Each participant receives a canvas with pre-established patterns and numbers, which helps guide the painting process. With the materials and instructions provided, each person paints their designated piece, ensuring their contribution aligns perfectly with the others. The magic happens when all the canvases are assembled to reveal a unified work of art, where each piece is essential to the integrity of the composition. This process, similar to assembling a puzzle, symbolizes shared unity and creativity, fundamental values for Ciudad Museo. The design of this year’s workshop was especially significant, as it was inspired by the figures to whom the festival was dedicated. Three outstanding personalities who have left a profound legacy in music, community service, civics, art, entertainment, and sports in Puerto Rico. In the sports arena, the legendary basketball player José Rafael Ortiz Rijos, better known as “Piculín Ortiz,” was highlighted. In civics and community service, the altruistic work of Chef Iván Clemente, founder of the Comedor de la Kennedy project, was also recognized. And in music, entertainment, acting, and dance, tribute was paid to the iconic San Juan native and Vedette of America, Iris Chacón, an indisputable figure in the performing arts in Puerto Rico. The concept of the Pintatas arose organically during our preparations for Campechada 2023 in San Germán when we faced the challenge of creating a removable mural since no walls were available. Inspired by necessity and our passion for innovation, Ciudad Museo devised this format that has deeply resonated with our audience. Since then, the Pintatas have become one of our most beloved activities, adaptable to people of all ages and potentials. The testimonials from participants during the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián speak for themselves: “I loved the experience. I had never participated in something like this, and seeing how my little piece fit into the whole mural was amazing. What a great way to feel like we’re part of something bigger!” – María Rodríguez, participant “The workshop was wonderful. It reminded me of how important it is to collaborate and how, when we work together, we can create something truly beautiful.” – Juan Morales, participant For us, as artists from the west, being part of this type of event is deeply meaningful. We are proud to represent our region and share our work on such a prestigious stage. Being considered by the ICP to participate in the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián reaffirms our commitment to continue promoting art and culture in Puerto Rico, and it inspires us to keep innovating and creating new ways to connect with the community. Our participation in this event was not only gratifying but also reaffirmed our purpose: to use art as a tool for social transformation and community gathering. We look forward to future opportunities to keep growing and sharing our passion for art with more people, in Puerto Rico and beyond. For those interested in joining future Pintata workshops or learning more about our projects, we invite you to follow Ciudad Museo on all social media platforms as @ciudadmuseopr. Blogs PAINTING AT THE SANSE: CIUDAD MUSEO AT THE 2024 FIESTAS DE LA CALLE SAN SEBASTIÁN Ciudad Museo at EnterPRize 2023: An Art Triumph and Collective Effort Nature and Beauty Before the Imitation of the Past ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cristopher N. Pellot Miranda, better known as Nomar Pellot, is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural manager, born in Añasco, Puerto Rico. From an early age, he showed interest in various branches of the arts, especially visual arts and theater. He is a graduate of the Theater Program of the Escuela Libre de Música de Mayagüez and a former member of the University Theater Histriones of the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo (UPRA). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts in Education with a concentration in Theater from the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, where he belonged to the Teatro Rodante Universitario. He also has a second bachelor’s degree in Tele-Radio Communication, with an emphasis on Strategic Communication, and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Business Development from UPRA. In 2015, at the age of 16 and while in eleventh grade, he co-founded Ciudad Museo, an organization in which he currently serves as Executive Director. Outside of the organization, he works on theatrical productions for the Liga Puertorriqueña de Improvisación Teatral and other various artistic and cultural projects.

Ciudad Museo at EnterPRize 2023: An Art Triumph and Collective Effort

Ciudad Museo at EnterPRize 2023: An Art Triumph and Collective Effort By: Nomar Pellot Date: 07 de diciembre de 2023 Participating in the EnterPRize 2023 competition by Grupo Guayacán was a transformative and challenging experience for Ciudad Museo. After months of effort and dedication, we stood out, winning two important awards: the True Self Social Impact Award, granted by the True Self Foundation, valued at $1,500.00, and the Art and Culture Award from the Fundación Ángel Ramos, valued at $20,000.00. These recognitions not only celebrate our mission to democratize art in the western region of Puerto Rico but also reflect the resilience and commitment of our team to overcome the challenges that arose along the way. The EnterPRize competition is Guayacán’s oldest and most established program, providing over the years a robust platform for the development of emerging businesses. Through an exhaustive curriculum that covers a wide range of business topics, this program has become an essential incubator for new entrepreneurial initiatives in Puerto Rico. In addition to educational workshops, the competition includes advisory and mentorship sessions with local and international experts, greatly enriching the participants’ experience. Our journey in EnterPRize 2023 was anything but easy. During the same months we were competing, our team was divided between preparing for the competition and one of the largest projects we’ve produced: the creation of a mural on the facade of Añasco’s City Hall. This monumental project, which required meticulous dedication and collective effort, tested our ability to manage multiple priorities without sacrificing quality or commitment to our goals. Dividing the team was a difficult but necessary decision to ensure that both the mural and our participation in EnterPRize were successfully carried out. The key to our triumph lay in collaboration and constant communication between the two groups. While some focused on refining our presentations and strategies in the competition, others worked tirelessly on the mural, ensuring that both projects moved forward smoothly. Winning the True Self Social Impact Award was a recognition of our mission to use art as a tool for social change. This award not only reinforces our determination to continue with our community projects but also validates our focus on creating accessible art spaces for everyone. On the other hand, the Art and Culture Award from the Fundación Ángel Ramos celebrates our commitment to promoting and preserving Puerto Rican culture and represents a significant step towards expanding our artistic projects in the region. Moreover, as part of our experience in the competition, we had the opportunity to meet other local groups and companies with whom we now maintain communication and with whom we have begun to develop future collaborations. This exchange of ideas and perspectives has allowed us to expand our network of contacts and explore new possibilities for spreading art and culture to other areas in Puerto Rico. Throughout our experience in EnterPRize 2023, we have proven that dedication and collective effort can overcome any obstacle. This competition not only allowed us to grow as an organization but also provided us with the opportunity to present ourselves to a national audience, demonstrating the hard work we do to promote the arts in the western region of Puerto Rico. We invite all companies and organizations dedicated to art and culture to join the EnterPRize competition by Grupo Guayacán. Our experience in EnterPRize 2023 has been enriching and rewarding, and we encourage others in the creative industry to take advantage of this opportunity to realize their visions and contribute to the cultural enrichment of Puerto Rico. Let us know if you need any further assistance with this content! Blogs PAINTING AT THE SANSE: CIUDAD MUSEO AT THE 2024 FIESTAS DE LA CALLE SAN SEBASTIÁN Ciudad Museo at EnterPRize 2023: An Art Triumph and Collective Effort Nature and Beauty Before the Imitation of the Past ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cristopher N. Pellot Miranda, better known as Nomar Pellot, is a multidisciplinary artist and cultural manager, born in Añasco, Puerto Rico. From an early age, he showed interest in various branches of the arts, especially visual arts and theater. He is a graduate of the Theater Program of the Escuela Libre de Música de Mayagüez and a former member of the University Theater Histriones of the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo (UPRA). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts in Education with a concentration in Theater from the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, where he belonged to the Teatro Rodante Universitario. He also has a second bachelor’s degree in Tele-Radio Communication, with an emphasis on Strategic Communication, and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Business Development from UPRA. In 2015, at the age of 16 and while in eleventh grade, he co-founded Ciudad Museo, an organization in which he currently serves as Executive Director. Outside of the organization, he works on theatrical productions for the Liga Puertorriqueña de Improvisación Teatral and other various artistic and cultural projects.

Nature and Beauty Before the Imitation of the Past

Nature and Beauty Before the Imitation of the Past By: Laurencia Victoria Date: November 4, 2023 Visual arts have been a source of visual delight throughout history, shaped by disciplines and boundaries that various artists have formalized over time. However, nature and beauty standards have played a significant role in artistic compositions from ancient Greece to the present. We manifest a kind of mimesis with matter, which can be molded and transformed to evoke numerous thoughts and emotions in the viewer throughout human history. Certain figures have been part of this artistic appreciation and critique, focusing their visual perspective on plastic manifestations inspired by nature’s raw materials. Nevertheless, the appreciation of artistic beauty is ever-changing but remains eternal as long as the audience can detect and contemplate this element. Even in the 21st century, while reading writings from the 18th to the 20th centuries, we still tend to use characteristics of antiquity and the past to determine beauty in contemporary works. However, we should not mix past determinations with the movements of our present. Based on Denis Diderot’s definition of art in Judgment and the Public Sphere, art is an abstract metaphysics. Humanity began by collecting observations based on nature, analyzing their function, use, and symbolic qualities. The focus of these observations was eventually named either science or art, leading to a series of instruments and rules aimed at those objects. However, this is an 18th-century perspective, formulated before the emergence of movements that would gradually challenge this view. Diderot also states that the general purpose of art is to imprint specific forms onto a basic element provided by nature. To be able to deform matter, we must first master it in its natural environment, regardless of its form, size, or mass. This implies that the artist must be fully aware of their surroundings to depict and reconstruct them effectively. On the other hand, John Ruskin, in his Selections: On Realization (2005), challenges us by asking not what we can paint, but how far we can go in painting. How far can humans go in using nature to achieve an aesthetically beautiful level in art? The elements each artist chooses for their composition are crucial in determining their education, discipline, and creativity. These elements can provoke emotions and appear close to reality, even if they are not entirely real or naturally occurring (such as figures Ruskin mentions that seem capable of movement despite being depicted in a two-dimensional medium). An individual is also drawn to beauty, complexity, and color selection, which provide an opportunity to recall personal anecdotes while experiencing visual delight. It is as if we “reflect visual aspects as if we were mirrors” and grant them aesthetic importance. An artist should not be considered great solely for their technical skill but also for the details they incorporate into their composition. Johann Winckelmann states that one must become familiar with the art of ancestors to become a great artist. He is correct in asserting that new artistic trends can be developed through this understanding. It is not about imitating ancient Greek artists but recognizing that they were guided by nature, which they saw as the epitome of perfection. Winckelmann highlights the movement of nerves and muscles in the various bodily structures depicted in works by Raphael and Michelangelo. One of the most distinctive characteristics of ancient Greek art is the noble simplicity and silent grandeur reflected in both posture and expression. Laocoön and His Sons, created by Agesander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus of Rhodes, serves as an example of the meticulous study of human anatomy, showcasing facial articulations, muscular tensions, and other bodily details that convey pain without fear. The calmer the body’s state, the greater the ability to portray the true personality of the soul amid sublime suffering. However, it is evident that these sculpted expressions do not align with what a human being would actually feel or experience, yet they demonstrate mastery over the human figure in mythological scenes. In various sections of The Painter of Modern Life (1863), Charles Baudelaire discusses the perspective of art enthusiasts: not everything revolves around those high-caliber artists who have demonstrated mastery of mimesis and classicism, which had prevailed in artists like Raphael, previously mentioned. The artistic compositions of the past may be of great interest in creating in our present, not only because of their high aesthetic level but also due to their historical and cultural value. However, they should not continue to be oversaturated as they have been for centuries. We can apply the same exercise to contemporary creations; beauty is an invariable, eternal, and difficult-to-define element, dependent on fashion, era, morality, and passion. In The Moment of Art, Émile Zola expresses that a work of art is, in contrast, an expression of an individual’s personality rather than mere mimesis: the artist deposits everything that makes up their being—their body and soul—clearly expressing the strength and uniqueness of their mind, the rawness and power of their personality, and taking nature into their hands to manipulate it firmly as they choose to perceive it. This means that in the present, we have moved away from using mimesis to delight in plasticity, gradually liberating the artist to produce life itself, the creation of something never before seen by the creator’s eyes and temperament. Two essential elements of artistic work emerge from this: nature as a reality and the human being as a personal element. Unlike others, Zola values the idea that the artistic community should not limit itself to the form and aesthetics of nature but rather consider the personal and individual essence of the creator as part of the creative process and outcome. Beauty and nature have always been progenitors of the greatest artistic designs and creations, transforming over time and gradually breaking free from the constraints of reality. Depending on historical circumstances and artistic education, we can also determine the elements that spectators use to define art. However, our artists will always begin with the legacy of ancient history