Live Boricu & Las Playas son del Pueblo / The Beaches Belong to the People
Jo Cosme

The vejigante mask, a folkloric emblem introduced to Borikén, Puerto Rico during Spanish colonial rule, has evolved into a potent cultural symbol of resistance. After the Spanish left, the native community embraced and reappropriated the mask, infusing it with elements from West African and Taíno heritage. Today, the vejigante mask, prominently featured in carnivals throughout the archipelago, embodies our cultural resilience and defiance against assimilation.

In creating a 10-foot-tall inflatable vejigante mask, I grapple with concerns that our cultural identity might be commercialized into a fantasy akin to a Caribbean Disney World. This transformation of a symbol of resistance into a mere inflatable object highlights the power dynamics of cultural appropriation.

The issue extends to the beaches of Borikén (colonially known as Puerto Rico), where, despite legal mandates for public access, North American-owned hotels and apartments have privatized these spaces, restricting native access and exacerbating environmental damage and living costs. Through this piece, I simulate a beach setting to draw viewers into the idealized vision of a Caribbean paradise, only to confront them with our struggle to maintain public access and address ongoing injustices. The accompanying audio features a recent protest addressing these critical issues.


 
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Award-winning multimedia artist Jo Cosme, originally from Borikén (Puerto Rico), was displaced to Seattle after Hurricane María. Through her art, she confronts ignorance about her homeland, tackling themes of US Imperialism and disaster capitalism. With a BFA in photography from Puerto Rico’s School of Fine Arts, her work has graced prestigious venues, including Museo de las Américas (PR), Galerie Rivoli 59 (Paris), and Whatcom Museum (WA). In 2021, she earned the Puerto Rican Artist Fellowship at MASS MoCA’s A4A Residency, followed by numerous grants and accolades in 2022 and 2023. In 2024 she inaugurated her solo exhibition, “Welcome to Paradise: ¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!” at 4Culture Gallery. She plans to expand this project throughout the year, with a residency at Anderson Ranch Fine Arts Center in the Fall.


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