At 84, Puerto Rico’s Most Renowned Artist Will “Never” Stop Creating

This article is part of a series developed by United Voices, a new Dinogo immersion initiative that unites local content creators and Dinogo editors for workshops, storytelling, and exploring a destination together. We are making our debut in Puerto Rico.

Painter, printmaker, writer, professor, illustrator, actor, sculptor, costume designer. Born in San Juan in 1939, Antonio Martorell has long been one of Puerto Rico’s distinguished artists; in March 2023, President Biden honored him with the National Medal of Arts, recognizing Martorell as “one of Puerto Rico’s greatest cultural ambassadors.”

In April, we met with Martorell at his expansive studio on Calle Salmon in Ponce, housed in a building dating back to 1815. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What inspires your artwork?

Everything I love and dislike. Fortunately, I find more to love than to dislike. I condemn what I dislike and celebrate what I love through my art. I work in various mediums because, apart from the joy of creating, my primary goal is communication. This journey has taken me through fine arts, media, book writing, television, radio, film, and drama. Each medium is valid and enticing for connecting with people and enhancing communication.

Do you find ideas for your paintings in other mediums?

All the time! One benefit of engaging in diverse activities—like theater, film, literature, painting, and sculpture—is that each experience enriches the next. It’s a continuous learning process. Everything an artist encounters—what you read, see, hear, and feel—serves as a source of what some call inspiration. However, I prefer the term “transfiguration” because true art emerges through the act of creating, working, and experiencing. And this labor doesn’t imply pain; it signifies joy.

Do you see yourself as a Renaissance man, someone who dabbles in everything?

Not really. I simply see myself as someone eager to create.

I admire your work and have followed your journey since my youth—my grandfather was particularly a fan of yours. How has the art scene in Puerto Rico evolved during your lifetime?

During my childhood in the '40s, there were no museums in Puerto Rico. While great artists like [José] Campeche y Jordán, [Francisco] Oller, and [Ramón] Frade made their mark, and traditions like the talla de santos [saint carvings], Taino cemíes, and African influences existed, there was nowhere to appreciate these works.

In the '50s, a movement emerged, leading to the establishment of museums, workshops, the Escuela de Artes Plásticas, and the incorporation of arts into universities. We must recognize that we are all heirs to a legacy that is both ancient and contemporary, and we should feel empowered to draw from it.

I recall my first exhibition in New York at El Museo del Barrio. Critics were taken aback by my piece titled “Rilke’s House,” named after the renowned 19th-century German poet Rainer Maria Rilke. They questioned, “What is a Puerto Rican doing…?” I replied, “This is part of my artistic heritage. Shakespeare is mine, Dante is mine, along with Cervantes, Díaz Alfaro, and René Marquez—it's all connected.”

When it comes to inspiration, what advice would you offer to future generations? Should they focus on the fundamentals of art and explore from there, or do you encourage them to break all the established rules?

Offering advice can be challenging. However, I can share my experience: Be mindful. Be as aware as possible. Feel, listen, read, smell, touch. Pay attention to what happens here in Puerto Rico and beyond, and respond accordingly. No matter what you create, you will be unique. So, don't strive to be different—you inherently are.

Which writer or painter has influenced you the most?

It’s like an endless list! However, my two primary influences were the teachers I had at the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture in San Juan: [Lorenzo] Homar and [Rafael] Tufiño. They taught me the vital connection between words and images. Through words, we bring meaning to life, and that is where inspiration lies.

What role does art play in the world?

Art unveils fresh perspectives, evokes new emotions, and imparts knowledge. It is a tool for learning. Art goes beyond mere decoration; it isn’t just information or a product to be bought. Instead, it serves as a pathway to knowledge, as effective and profound as mathematics, science, literature, and reading. Art embodies both education and joy.

Does learning lead to greater knowledge?

And the more you desire.

The more you desire.

It’s akin to consuming carbohydrates.

Do you think this’s an urge that will ever fade, this drive to keep creating?

Never! I’m insatiable. Why would anyone want to stop experiencing pleasure and sharing it? There’s no other pursuit that accommodates the abundance of art. I can work for 10 or 12 hours straight without feeling tired. Try any other task, even the one you’re considering, for 12 or 14 hours. It’s impossible.