Blog 8: Smithsonian Panel

 

Due to class I had to attend the panel late and leave early. Lucky for me I arrived right when Moses Ros-Suarez began his section of the panel, introducing his piece El Reggaeton del Bachatero. The title immediately caught my attention and so did the art. He describes the relationship he portrays in this piece to be one of "ambivalence". He sees ambivalence as is a common emotion that characterizes the Dominican experience of migrating to the US. The first part of this piece is a beehive, while the piece on the right is paradise island. At the center of the 'here' and 'there' or "aqui y alla",as Moses described it, is the psychological split of this figure with two heads. The bridge can also be more than a metaphor for connection, but it can display the large distance between these two locations. Instead of having the left and right panels combine their colors in the middle, the middle panel is absent of that. The difference in color further expresses the difficulty Dominicans face when it comes to deciding where they should plant their roots. Moses describes the man in the middle as someone who wants to be in his home country but he needs to stay for the opportunities. This man can chose the "izquerda" (the left side) with the "panal" or he can go to the "derecha" with the "flor". Yet if he decides "izquerda y derecha" he will be on a bridge in a state of limbo deciding which direction to take. The piece reflects the tough decision one must make when they know they need to make a choice for planting their roots and searching for opportunities. 

I think the title he chose for the artwork is also interesting, not only because I love dancing to reggaeton and bachata music, but because it is another way of describing Dominican and African Roots. The symbolism that comes with having two split heads can represent the need to make a decision, struggle with holding two different identities and the internal struggle between the head and the heart. Although I know that piece is meant to describe the Dominican experience, I find myself relating to the man in the middle. As I grow older I face more situations that leave me feeling split, as though I have two heads myself. 

Moses Ros-Suárez, El Reggaeton del Bachatero, from the portfolio Manifestaciones, 2010, etching,
 aquatint, and chine collé on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum