Migrating from my native Puerto Rico after 27 years impacted my relationship with the rest of the world. Embodying the role of a migrant, I have uncovered its potential to ignite reflection and inspire resilience towards social contexts that constantly threaten some of our most vulnerable communities. 

At the foundation of my practice is my relationship to Puerto Rico’s current cultural identity, one intrinsically shaped by its historical affiliation to Spanish colonial military architecture, despite this alliance expiring over a century ago. On each journey home, my curiosity intensified as to why this architectural reference and building identity to our archipelago live so prominently in the foreground. My work dissects the underlying relationships between these structures and notions of self-value. In considering the cultural and historical value of residential architecture throughout working-class Puerto Rico, I illuminate the decorative motives that imbue these homes with an often overlooked personal and cultural value that deserves to be protected and uplifted. Despite internalized colonial practices that impact our sense of self, instigate a desire for more, and force us to strive for fantastical aspirations of what a life ‘should’ look like, my work provides alternatives that feel attainable and sustainable while empowering a sense of community. 

More info at edrasoto.com