1st International Show of Mail Art and Visual Poetry in Puerto Rico

[edwin velazquez collazo]

Mankind is now sinking in a globalized society within an economic crisis, not as a result of the financial
debacle, but by the humanist crisis provoked by man himself. We have a
crisis of values, a cultural crisis and an ecological crisis, among
many others. As citizens of the world, we must bring awareness and
social responsibility to our society. Visual artists, as humanists and
creators of sensible objects are committed to creating worldwide
awareness on one of the biggest problems facing the 21st century, child
abuse. For this reason, over 100 mail
artists with 134 works and representing 25 countries have gathered
through the 1st International Show of Mail Art and Visual Poetry in
Puerto Rico to send an international message: Stop Child Abuse. Our
reason is simple, it’s a problem that concerns humanity: Latin America,
Europe, the U.S., the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.

Abuse and violence against children not only occurs within the family. It has been a constant throughout
history in every territory on earth who has experienced the cruelty of
war, exploitation, slavery, poverty and drug trafficking. According to
the United Nations “Violence against children cuts across cultural,
social, educational, income and ethnicity, and occurs in many different
environments.” The provisions and principles of UNICEF and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that “All children
have the same right to develop their potential: all, in all situations,
all the time, everywhere.”

In Puerto Rico, according to Rosa G. Irizarry, director of the Preventive Program of Child Abuse and Sexual
Abuse “Statistics in Puerto Rico on sexual abuse and child abuse are
heartbreaking. Each year about 24,000 children are victims of some form
of abuse.” Also, the statistics of the Department of the Family show
that about 200 children are victims of abuse in Puerto Rico each month.
With this discouraging environment, the international panorama of the
visual arts has joined our island to proclaim a stop to violence
against children.

Eventually, each of us have contributed to the disintegration of our society and child abuse through our
indifference. We are causing not only global warming, but our own
de-humanization. We have a responsibility not just to leave a better
eco-friendly environment, but we must decide under what conditions we
want to live. An “avatar” society made real. Without child abuse.

The exhibition will be on view from March 11 to April 3, 2010 at the Centro de Información de la
Universidad Metropolitana del Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez in
Cupey, Puerto Rico, with the participation of influential figures in
the Mail Art Movement such as Clemente Padin (Uruguay), Tulio Restrepo
(Colombia), Cesar Reglero (España), Emilio Morandi (Italia), Keiyh A.
Buchholz (Estados Unidos), Dede van der Roove (Polonia) Katerina
Nikoltson, (Grecia), Michel Della Vedova (Francia) y Edwin Velázquez
(Puerto Rico).

Text written by Edwin Velazquez, Artist and Curator

Images provided by the artists

BY DAWIRE

COALICION DE ARTISTAS DE PUERTO RICO

CENTRO CARIBEÑO DE ARTE CORREO Y POESIA VISUAL