Escrito en Piedra, from the portfolio "Guariquen: Images and Words Rican/Structured"
Not on view
"Political art," Sánchez has declared, "is a medium used as a weapon to hopefully recapture or regain the positive energy of celebration—to regain the goodness of humanity." Here, he evokes the legacy of the Taíno (Indigenous peoples who lived in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean lands) and their culture. Though many of the Taíno died as a direct result of Spanish colonialism, several of their carvings remain, offering insight into the mythology and practices of their culture. Sánchez juxtaposes Taíno icons with images of a Puerto Rican flag draped across the Stature of Liberty and a silhouette of upside-down palm trees. The text, as well as the title, refers to the enduring power of Taíno culture through their petroglyphs, or rock carvings, as "that which is written in stone." Sánchez dedicated the Taíno petroglyphs in the print to the influential Cuban American artist Ana Mendieta.