Next door to the Puerto Rico Convention Center, está el Distrito.
Opened in 2021, el Distrito is an entertainment complex with restaurants, bars, a concert hall, a movie theater, a 177-room hotel, a main plaza with an outdoor stage, even a zipline.
It’s also an open-air gallery with distinctive artwork made mostly by Puerto Rican artists.
My favorite is the San Pedrito by Ana Marietta. Born in Barranquitas, Ana María Ortiz is a sculptor and muralist with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Puerto Rico, knowledge that feeds her artistic practice.
The San Pedrito is one of 17 birds endemic to Puerto Rico that can be found in forests around the island.
In real life, it’s very small - average body length is 3 inches - and can be identified for its colorful plumage (emerald green, red, light yellow and white).
It’s also a cultural icon, celebrated by many as Puerto Rico’s national bird.
In this 15’x15’ mural, the San Pedrito is massive, about to land while staring directly at us. We can assume it’s a female - the eyes have been painted white - and the feathers are now technicolor, especially when the sun hits the wall. Ana Marietta’s detailed brushwork is in full display, as well as her talent for making animal figures larger than life.
By the way, my new obsession is having a pepperoni slice at Pudge’s Pizza, a tasty and affordable option when visiting el Distrito.
Hasta la próxima.
Yanira
