InvestPR joins artist Carlos Santiago to promote island’s creative industry
Invest Puerto Rico, the nonprofit dedicated to attracting investment to the island to boost its economic development, announced a collaboration with Puerto Rican artist Carlos Santiago to promote the local creative industry.
The event, held at The Hub office tower in the Convention District on March 30, transformed Invest Puerto Rico’s offices into an art gallery showcasing 13 new pieces by Santiago, titled “Diversity & Encounters.”
Chef Pedro Parrilla catered the inauguration ceremony while Rums of Puerto Rico sponsored the cocktail service.
“I’m honored to collaborate with Invest Puerto Rico in this initiative that seeks to promote the local creative industry. As an artist, my goal has always been to represent the culture and beauty of Puerto Rico in my work, and I believe this initiative is a unique opportunity to share my vision with a broader audience,” Santiago said.
“I hope that my art inspires other creators and helps attract more investment to the island so that we can continue to strengthen our economy and our creative community,” he said.
“Diversity & Encounters” consists of 13 recent medium- to large-format works that present a contemporary vision of Diversity as a “set of diverse things or forms that are related to coincide or differ on various points,” juxtaposed with Encounters, as what “reveals or translates into knowledge and which in turn refers us to the action of the exchange of ideas.”
Its main objective is to bring the viewer closer to Santiago’s creative process, to the thesis of his work, and as a link to the protection and care of the island’s resources.
“We’re proud to support the island’s creative industry with this exhibition of Santiago’s most recent works. Puerto Rico boasts some of the most talented and innovative artists in the world, and Carlos’ art speaks to that,” said InvestPR CEO Ella Woger-Nieves.
“Our offices are the meeting point where the best that Puerto Rico has to offer is displayed and we want our facilities to serve as a canvas that showcases the immense talent and creativity of our artists. The goal is to foster new opportunities that allow them to continue growing and prospering,” she added.
Santiago, who is represented by Beatriz Pumarejo, creator of Bea Arte, is widely recognized for his unique and colorful style, capturing the vibrancy and beauty of Puerto Rican culture and landscapes in his art.
Santiago’s paintings are characterized by bright, vivid colors, intricate drawings and a strong sense of movement and energy. His work often depicts scenes from daily life in Puerto Rico, such as festivals, street scenes and landscapes, to which he imprints a sense of magic and wonder.
The exhibit at InvestPR’s offices is an opportunity to experience Santiago’s unique vision and creativity and to purchase his most recent works.
“By promoting Puerto Rico’s creative industry, InvestPR aims to create a more diverse and sustainable economy that will benefit the island’s residents for years to come. This event represents an important step in that direction,” the nonprofit stated.
Santiago was born in 1978 in Peñuelas. He graduated from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in 2001. After graduation, he received the Arana Scholarship, which allowed him to live in Paris for a year. During his time there, he enrolled at the Teophile Gautier Institute, De la Marie Fine Arts Workshop, and the Daniel Fisher Studio. Additionally, he worked in Alfonso Arana’s atelier and in his own atelier in Gabetta.
To improve his technique and increase his knowledge, Santiago joined “Le Rats Du Champs”, a group of itinerant artists who travel to the French Alps to paint exclusively with watercolors. In 2015, Santiago completed a master’s degree in painting and drawing from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico’s Ponce campus. Since 2001, Santiago has participated in 11 solo exhibitions in Puerto Rico and abroad.
Santiago has also participated in group exhibitions in the United States, Canada, Peru and Puerto Rico. In 2015, he took part in an exhibition at Casa Unesco in the Dominican Republic. In 2021, he was selected to display his works at the Puerto Rico governor’s executive mansion, La Fortaleza. His pieces showcase his expressionism and convey themes of resistance, humanity, and defiance.
