El trompetista olvidado (2018)
Dimensions 8’ 8” x 35’ 1’ aprox.
This mural pays tribute to the salsa music genre, internationally recognized and greatly influenced by Puerto Rican musicians and singers. The design of the piece is inspired by the opening lines of a poem titled “El trompetista olvidado,” written by artist Laurencia Victoria, who was once a member of Ciudad Museo. Capturing with this mural the essence and passion of salsa music, depicting a typical scene from Old San Juan, highlighting the everyday life of musicians who are frequently found in the area, and paying homage to all who have contributed to the development and extent salsa has had. This with the intention of celebrating the rich history and vitality of this music in Puerto Rico and abroad. This project was a part of an initiative called “Summer of 2018,” during which Ciudad Museo completed five murals in record time, expanding its artistic offerings in the town of Añasco. Over time, the mural has been retouched and slightly modified to ensure its preservation and maintain its visual impact.
“El trompetista olvidado” [The Forgotten Trumpeter] by Laurencia Victoria
“He walked the streets, from bar to bar,
The forgotten trumpeter.
Amidst the hustle in the wild city,
He played his only treasure, from door to door,
A melody from his devastated heart.
And among last-minute bands,
The trumpeter let himself be carried away by the euphoria
Of the ladies dancing and the men strolling in the Salsa.
But his black heart and his empty bottle
Were not excuses to play another song.
You can’t imagine the days he wandered
With an empty stomach and his guts stuck together
While his shiny black shoes sparkled for the next shop.
The trumpeter improvised and let himself be carried away
By the band, the dance, the bar, the nostalgia,
The past, the emptiness, the loneliness, the praises,
The thought passed from generation to generation.
Without roofs, without adoptions, without recognition,
His salsero heart burned in any genre,
But the soul does not pump forever,
And the trumpet does not play itself.”
Located next to Pepin’s Bar “Los Mumm-ra,” directly across from the Plaza del Mercado in Añasco, Puerto Rico.
