Painting Identity and Resistance: Muralism in Puerto Rico

The mural Grabadores por Grabadores (Printmakers for Printmakers) existed as a popular wall in the city of San Juan. The group Artistas Solidarixs y en Resistencia transformed it into La Puerta (The Door) to oppose the imposition of Bill H.R 5278, better known as PROMESA. This study analyzes the reception to both murals and discusses whether Grabadores por Grabadores existed as a site of identity, while La Puerta exists as a site of resistance. Employing Armando Silva’s concept of exhibición, encuadre y mirada ciudadana this work unveils how the artists exposed their imaginario urbano. It also examines the perceived impact of the transformation on Puerto Rican citizenship, focusing on whether the murals existed as sites of identity, resistance, neither, or both.