Lee la historia en español aquí.

Cidra.- An enormous mosaic mural measuring 317 feet depicts part of Puerto Rican history and, most of all, the residents of Cidra. It is the artistic centerpiece that welcomes visitors to the “Town of Eternal Spring.”

Its creators named it “Presencia e identidad” (“Presence and Identity”). It was erected right on Highway PR-172, at the intersection with Luis A. “Güiso” Santos Avenue, and it illustrates the talent of artists Javier Vélez, Héctor Muñiz, and Daniel Rivera, who also received assistance from Andrés Rivera in constructing, tile by tile, the narrative that now represents the town of Cidra.

“This is the first public artwork of this scale, it measures approximately 317 feet in length and 10 feet at its highest point. It’s located where the municipality welcomes its visitors because it’s the entrance of the town. This is practically the welcome that the municipality of Cidra extends to its visitors,” explained Vélez.

The work of art, which took two years (2014-2016) to construct, was designed to capture the evolution of the Puerto Rican people, while also incorporating elements that represent and identify the town of Cidra.

“It was quite interesting, and we went through many bottles of wine as well because we started discussing it until we reached a consensus to narrate the story of Puerto Ricans with details from Cidra. That’s why it’s called ‘Presencia e identidad,’ for the presence as Puerto Ricans and the identity as a town,” added Vélez, who mentioned that the design of this mural began in 2007. However, it was put on hold until the municipality of Cidra resumed the project in 2013.

Nearly 11,000 tiles in 31 colors were cut for this work of art, which Vélez says was a significant challenge.

“What makes this mural unique is that, typically, the tile is taken, broken, and then those different-colored pieces are used to fill in and create the figure. In this case, we cut the tile according to the design. It’s a bit more complicated because we had to go cutting tile by tile, but the results in the end were spectacular,” he emphasized.

Thus, the three artists, their assistant, and around 200 volunteers—including students and other fellow neighbors—worked hand in hand, both the workshop and on the street. This way, they became part of the history that was engraved on the wall.

“The didactic aspect of the project is that it was community-driven. On Saturdays, students and the general public came to work; we taught them how to cut the tiles. Many students completed their community service hours with us. There are people who walk by and say, ‘that little piece is mine because I made it,’ and that’s exactly what we wanted,” recounted Vélez, who has been an artist for over 30 years but began using the mosaic technique in this project.

“I work with serigraphy; it’s one of my specialties. I worked with Antonio Martorell from 1996 to 2006. I also do body painting. People don’t believe that I started doing mosaic work with this project; since then, I’ve done a lot of mosaics. So, that mural was my school,” reiterated the artist.

The majestic work “Presencia e Identidad” displays elements of indigenous culture and alludes to the rich array of petroglyphs, pottery, and various archaeological materials found in the municipality of Cidra.

Then, the images seem to be in motion. This is how the activities and customs of the Taínos are depicted, such as their agricultural tasks, the making of casabe (cassava bread made from yucca), their dwellings, and ceremonial centers.

The stage is then set for Spanish colonization with the introduction of new cultural and religious elements, such as the Spanish language and the Catholic Church. It also depicts the Taíno, Spanish, and African races.

The Puerto Rican jíbaro is depicted harvesting coffee, cultivating sugarcane, and processing tobacco. Then, the arrival of the United States Army in 1898 in Puerto Rico marks the beginning of the 20th century. The stage is marked by Cidra’s coat of arms, located at the center of the artwork.

The 20th century is depicted by the transition from an agrarian economy to industrialization, as well as the various professions focused on medicine, education, engineering, and others. The piece also includes activities such as sports, arts, sciences, and technology as important parts of our development during that time. There is a section dedicated to sports, where the figure of a baseball player is prominent and alludes to Bravos de Cidra, a Double-A team.

The artwork concludes with the Puerto Rican family heading towards an intensely bright light, which the trio of artists referred to as “a bright future.”