Speaking Puerto Rican at Seton Hall

Speaking Puerto Rican means images of the island, including symbols such as bananas and a vintage fan on the floor of the Walsh Gallery at Seton Hall University.

How to Speak Puerto Rican is a solo exhibition featuring artist Jose Camacho.  Camacho was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and moved to America in the 1980’s, when at the age of 19, he moved to New Jersey, and enrolled in Montclair State University.

His work looks to identity politics and borrows words and images  from Puerto Rican folk music, Spanish classical literature, and American pop culture.  The artworks on view include painting, mixed media and sculpture.

Curator Jeanne Brasile notes that while Jose’s message is strongly informed by his Puerto Rican heritage, “I am also drawn to his use of materials and his process.  Jose’s interest in surface and texture is apparent in his many paintings and drawings, which typically consist of layered materials such as paint, paper and graphite.” 

A recent opening drew a large crowd murmuring in Spanish, English and a fluid mixture of words that combine the two languages.

Camacho, who now lives in Montclair, studied painting and drawing with Miriam Beerman. While in college Camacho assisted Puerto Rican artist Antonio Martorell at the installation of La Casa de Todos Nosotros at El Museo del Barrio, and also at the installation of El Zócalo del Silencio at the University of Puerto Rico. Camacho received a Bachelor of Art degree from Montclair State University in 1991.

Camacho is the recipient of various awards including a residency fellowship for Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper in 2006, and a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship. Currently Camacho is the director of Midland Gallery in Montclair New Jersey.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:30am to 4:30pm.  Admission is free and open to the public.