Reviving Puerto Rico’s Artistry Post-Hurricane Maria
After Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico in 2017, curators and staff for museums across the island sprang into action to protect their collections from immediate damage. Presently, several cultural institutions have partnered with Google Arts & Culture, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Luis Miranda Jr., focusing on long-term preservation.
Launched recently, the new initiative showcases hundreds of pieces from four of the island’s prominent museums, meticulously selected by the curators and digitized in ultra-high resolution—right down to the brushstroke. More pieces are expected in the future. “Hurricane Maria reminded us of the urgency of preservation,” states Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP) executive director Carlos R. Ruiz Cortés in a guest post for Google Arts & Culture. “It devastated our island and awakened the need to preserve our culture while we restored our home.”
The hyper-detailed renditions are made possible by the Google Cultural Institute’s robotic Art Camera, a state-of-the-art apparatus that employs laser and sonar technology to take thousands of close-up shots, compiling them into gigapixel images. This technology captures everything from Rembrandt paintings to Alexander McQueen textiles and ancient murals from Malta. “For us, the Art Camera is more than just technology—it symbolizes universal access,” writes Cortés. “Everyone will now have a new lens through which to see Puerto Rico.”
Showcasing Puerto Rican Art
The online exhibition highlights works from the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, the Museo de Arte de Ponce, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, aiming to illuminate an often-underappreciated—and underfunded—artistic culture.
“It’s a flare out to the world that there’s incredible art here,” Miranda noted in an interview with the Associated Press. “There’s no reason why Puerto Rican art should not be seen on the same stage as the Louvre, the Met, and all the other remarkable places where Google has come with its cameras to digitize the artwork.”
The Future of Puerto Rican Culture
Consequently, this initiative paves the way for future cultural engagement and appreciation. It encourages insights into Puerto Rican artistry while fostering community pride. Moreover, the collaboration with significant figures like Miranda emphasizes the vital role of cultural preservation in the aftermath of a disaster.
