By Anna Woodall
On September 14th, I drove out to San Juan to meet with Ana Carolina, a young aspiring Puerto Rican artist currently studying at Escuela de Artes Plásticas in Old San Juan. We had planned to meet at El Cartel de Ballajá, a market square where an arts festival was taking place. After around 45 minutes of walking around in the sweltering heat, I found her table in a corner. The woman at the adjacent table told me that Ana was getting water and that she would return shortly. While I waited, I noticed that Ana's art features a variety of intricate and beautiful pieces, all drawn using different media. But I had come to interview Ana about a mural that she had painted on Calle Norzagaray, and about her experience as a young Puerto Rican artist.
Measuring about ten feet tall, Ana's mural is an impressive piece which reads clearly "sacando chispa hasta llegar al filo" (making a spark until sharpening the sword). When Ana returned, she greeted me with a smile and immediately offered me water and a brown bag to fan myself in the 115 degree weather.
Where did you grow up? Well, mostly I grew up in the urban area. I’m from Cupey, San Juan; I’ve lived my whole life there.
With whom did you grow up? I grew up surrounded by my family -- my mom, my dad, and I have a younger sister.
What did you want to be when you were a little girl? Well, when I was little, I was very much influenced by the other kids in my class. I saw that the other girls in class wanted to be veterinarians, and without knowing what else to say, I also said that I wanted to be a veterinarian. Obviously this changed as I got older.
When did you first realize that you wanted to be an artist? I think I realized this in middle school. Ever since I was little I loved to draw, and I remember getting so excited to do my art projects in school. In retrospect, I realized that I love to do this, and that I am recognized by others as the girl who draws and that I wanted to continue pursuing art into my adulthood. (13-14 years old)
Did your parents support you in your decision to study art? No. My mom works in a bank and my father in finances, in other words, their professions are centered around money. So, they had that mentality. I was the first in the family to study art, so it came as a huge shock to them when I told them that I wanted to pursue art into my adulthood. After a while, they came around, and now they support me despite the fact that it makes them uncomfortable.
What are your recent projects? Lately I have been working with many independent events. Whether they have reached out to me, or I to them, I always love to set up a table and support the cause. Right now, within the University, I’ve been working on more personal projects and experimenting with different mediums.
Has your art changed as a result of the events from July of Summer 2019? I would say yes, and with much reason. Art is always changing, and it depends on the mood and environment of the artist. Like if the artist is feeling frustrated, like I did a little bit this past July, it manifests into the art. So yes, my art changed due to my frustration towards the situation.
How would you define your role as an artist of your generation and of Puerto Rico? Well, I think that as a millenial artist I carry the weight of many Puerto Rican artistic icons. Like, to carry the legacy of those artists to something futuristic but also add my own new and personal touch to something that has been prevalent in Puerto Rico for so many years. As a young Puerto Rican artist, it is my turn to continue the artistic traditions that have been left to us by Puerto Rican icons of art, but it is also my job to come up with something new and innovative that defines these times.
Where do you find inspiration for your art pieces? Well, I get my inspiration from different places. First of all, I am fascinated by primitive art, in particular the Taíno art because it’s so close to Puerto Rico. It’s the most antique thing we have that defines our art, or the beginning of Puerto Rican art. Cave drawings also fascinate me because they are very raw, since they are the origin of human art. I am also fascinated by plants and their anatomy, forms, and how varied they can be. I also love autobiographical themes, because I feel like it’s not something that absolutely everyone can relate to. My life is mine, it’s unique, therefore I have sentiments that only I can have.
What are your plans for the future? I would love to continue pursuing art, but I’d also like to educate about Caribbean art, specifically Puerto Rican art, so that people can see the importance and beauty that lies within it.
What inspired you to do the mural on Calle Norzagaray?
Originally, I wasn't going to. The President of the Consejo Estudiantil texted me and told me that there was space [on Calle Norzagaray] for a gigantic mural. Nobody paid us to do this, we funded it ourselves. The quality of education is dying. A lot of people don't value it. The symbolism came from "Afilando los Cuchillos,"a song by Calle 13.
Note: Calle 13 wrote "Afilando los Cuchillos," which translates to "sharpening the knives." This song is about Puerto Rico's corrupt ex-governor Ricardo Rosselló.
What message did you want to carry?
That art and education are lethal weapons that are just as dangerous (or more) than a knife. Art is a tool that allows us to get to know ourselves through beauty, sadness, hate, jealousy, or love. It's a tool that tells the truth. Through education, you can evolve into the best version of yourself.
What were some of the reactions that most impacted you?
When we were working on the mural, all of us, myself included, were worn out due to the conditions. It made me very happy to see people honking their horns as they drove by, encouraging us to finish. Someone yelled "Puerto Rico está c*bron!" (Puerto Rico is f*cking awesome). As an artist, it makes me feel complete when the public wants me to finish a piece.
What would you like to share with our audience?
Three things I would not like people to abandon are culture, education, and art. These three things define us as human beings, but also as Puerto Ricans.
After the interview, Ana took a break from manning her post to walk around the festival with me. We exchanged thoughts, shared personal stories, and met several talented artists, some of which are professors from the school that Ana goes to. To see more of her art, visit her instagram account @Guayaba_arts
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