Puerto Rico Part 2: San Juan Art Scene

Puerto Rico is best known for its beaches, food and history, or at least that is what I knew about it before my visit. What I came to find out is that it is also home to a diverse art scene. If you are an avid museum goer, consider visiting Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico to see an expansive collection of paintings, sculptures and installations, or the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico if you are a fan of contemporary art.

Though I love touring museums, I focused this trip on the street art scene because I wanted to be outdoors and soak up as much sun as possible. Walking the streets of San Juan, I found interesting expressions of art everywhere.

La Casa Estrecha

Take for example, La Casa Estrecha, which translates to “The Narrow House.” It can be found in Old San Juan, squeezed between two ordinary sized buildings. This house stands where there once was only an alleyway. At some point, someone erected a ceiling above the alley and a façade, and the former corridor became a house.

Approximately 20 years ago, proprietor and architect Antonio Alvarez renovated the home and turned it into an art gallery featuring works by local artists. Even if you are not interested in touring the gallery, I suggest taking a walk past La Casa Estrecha to see this tiny house that is a mere 5 feet and 3 inches wide.

Street Art in Puerto Rico

Elsewhere in the city you will find unique art installations created in various styles.

Caballito del Mar

Caballito del Mar is a giant seahorse sculpture, in the San Juan Bay neighborhood. The 38-foot seahorse, created by Jose Ignacio Morales, is made of steel and bronze. The fish stands upright over a fountain, keeping watch over the bay.

Ballajá Sculpture

In nearby Old San Juan, you will find the Ballajá sculpture created by Spanish artist Victor Ochoa Sierra. The three, bronze, intertwining bodies entrenched in struggle symbolize the Puerto Rican rescue of the Ballajá district and the ongoing fight for cultural preservation.

Madre y Hijo

In the Condado neighborhood, another art installation celebrates Taino life and features a mother holding her newborn child. The piece by Fernando Botero is called Madre y Hijo, which means "mother and child." You can view the $1.8 million piece at the Plaza del Ancla square.

Santurce

While art is scattered throughout all of San Juan, if you're looking for an immersive art experience in one place, the Santurce neighborhood is the place to go. This area has been called the "Caribbean's Capital of Art," because of its street art scene that includes graffiti and murals.

If you visit during the end of May, you will get to experience the Santurce es Ley festival, which translates literally to "Santurce is the Law," but conveys the sentiment that this neighborhood is in charge of the art scene.

The Santurce es Ley festival was birthed in 2010 when Alexis Busquet asked a few local artists to paint some murals next to his art gallery.

At the time, the Santurce neighborhood had a reputation for being a dodgy and downtrodden barrio where tourists were not advised to visit. Ironically, it is tucked between Condado and Miramar, which are San Juan's affluent and upscale neighborhoods and major tourist areas.

While it still has a flavor of grittiness today, Santurce has evolved into a hip, trendy and welcoming neighborhood. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Cincinnati, as well as Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, which underwent a similar metamorphosis.

Santurce has also been likened to Brooklyn for the same reasons.

Most of the bold murals in Santurce reflect various aspects of Puerto Rico's history, culture and daily life.

Others draw attention to social issues that are important both locally and globally.

For this reason, and the beautiful art that is displayed, the Santurce Es Ley festival and a more recent festival called Los Muros Hablan, meaning the "The Walls Speak," both draw a local and international crowd.

If you are interested in experiencing Santurce's street art scene, consider starting at La Placita de Santurce, which functions as a market place during the day. Head out from there and you will see murals galore, especially on Calle Cerra. Then return to La Placita at night when it transforms into one of the best places for food, drinks and dancing.

Speaking of food, drinks and activities, next I will share about some of the best restaurants, bars and adventures I had while visiting Puerto Rico.