BY JOSH TOWNER
The Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College is hosting a collection of 80 original art pieces produced by students from Puerto Rico. The works were made as a response to Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017.
The exhibit is titled “Acciones Que Levantan a Puerto Rico,” or “Actions That Lift Puerto Rico.” Acciones will be on display on the sixth floor of Queens College’s Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library from Oct. 9 through Nov. 9.
The 80 pieces are a variety of works from Puerto Rican students, selected through the Acciones contest, which received 630 submissions. A panel of artists, art teachers and community leaders narrowed the submissions down to 80.
“The collection communicates a profound sense of hope for the future and serves as a poignant reminder of the long road ahead to help Puerto Rico fully recover from the storm’s devastation. ‘Acciones’ also reveals the values that best represent the people of Puerto Rico, such as service, family, empathy, solidarity, hospitality, culture, love of nature and resiliency,” said Frances Ryan, executive director of the CHICAS Foundation, which is sponsoring the exhibition.
Queens College is hosting the exhibition to honor and support Puerto Rico’s recovery and rebuilding as well as the Puerto Ricans’ attitude of courage and resilience after Hurricane Maria.
The “Acciones” exhibition is an important communication platform for Puerto Rican students, as they can express their emotions about Hurricane Maria through their art. Teachers played a large role in the competition by encouraging students to communicate their feelings as they returned to school following the hurricane.
“Acciones” has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for its humanitarian contributions through art to create awareness about the impact Hurricane Maria had on Puerto Rico.
The exhibit will open to the public in a reception Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m. An RSVP is required to attend. Email qcartcenter@qc.cuny.edu to RSVP.
