By Leslie Bustos
On Friday, March 22nd, art enthusiasts gathered to bid farewell to Alfredo Bauzá’s exhibit ‘Vida y Obra’ at its closing event held at the Humboldt Park Boat House Gallery. The closing event for Bauzá’s work was a vibrant celebration of art and culture. Visitors were treated to traditional Puerto Rican cuisine while immersing themselves in Bauzá’s captivating artworks.
The event’s highlight was the host’s heartfelt introduction of Bauzá, who shared a touching anecdote about first encountering the artist at a fundraiser for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico. In a special moment, the host read aloud a letter from the municipal government of Carolina that acknowledged Bauzá’s contributions to cultural tourism and economic development. The letter highlighted his pivotal role in the 2014 centenary celebration of Julia de Burgos with his exhibition ‘Travesía del Tiempo: Julia de Burgos, a piece that caught the attention of the San Juan Tourist Company and the Institute of Culture. These institutions chose this work to be a part of the newspaper’s institute that celebrates nationalism.
Bauzá took the stage to express his gratitude towards those who supported his journey, especially giving thanks to individuals like José López and Carlos Hernández, as well as the general public. He emphasized the intimate connection between his art and his life experiences, reinforcing his belief that “art is culture and culture
is art.”
The event concluded with an auction of his Julia de Burgos-themed artworks. In
accord with his philosophy, Bauzá invited participants to offer as payment what they
felt for the art, underscoring his view that art should not be merely transactional but
an expression of feeling. Hence, his pieces were not assigned specific prices.
