Art Collections of the University of Puerto Rico

Abstract

The history of art in Puerto Rico would be incomplete without mentioning the enormous contributions made over the last century by the leading institution of higher learning in our country, the University of Puerto Rico. The university‘s commitment and unflagging efforts in fostering artistic sensibilities have characterized the education offered, to this day, in the lecture halls of our alma mater. Faced with rapidly changing realities, the Humanities and the Visual Arts position themselves as essential disciplines for a more comprehensive and inclusive education of present and future generations. In the hopes of contributing to this purpose, we present this edition of Visión Doble.

This special edition focusing on the art collections of the University of Puerto Rico is the result of a need to reaffirm the importance of researching this public endowment safeguarded by our university, as well as to acknowledge this institution‘s crucial role in the study and conservation thereof. After communicating with various entities at several campuses, we formally invited them to provide an overview of the genesis and evolution of their respective collections, with emphasis on the artists and the notable artworks that comprise them. Furthermore, by focusing on exhibitions or publications of great significance for the study and understanding of art history in Puerto Rico, one of the most important elements of each contribution has been to underscore how the research and appreciation of the artworks in the university system‘s custody are vital factors for the development of research and scholarship and for the general public‘s enjoyment.

This initial institutional snapshot, although incomplete, serves as a meeting point and as a catalyst for emerging generations of art historians to explore new research pathways that will broaden the knowledge and appreciation of the visual expressions created in Puerto Rico. The current edition of Visión Doble was created in collaboration with the Museo de Arte (MUSA) of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus; the Museo de Arte Dr. Pío López Martínez of the University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus; the Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and the Centro de Investigaciones Arqueológicas of the same campus. The work conducted at these institutions serves as a representative example of the vigorous advocacy and appreciation for our artistic heritage. We hope that this special edition, with which we celebrate this magazine‘s sixth anniversary, pays due homage to the artists who form a vital part of these collections and also to the various campuses of our university that strive to conserve, research, and communicate the value of their works.