Antonio Martorell
Encyclopedia
Antonio Martorell is a well known Puerto Rican painter, graphic artist, writer and radio and television personality. He regularly exhibits in Puerto Rico and the United States and participates in arts events around the globe.
in Washington, D.C.
and then went to study painting with Julio Martín Caro in Madrid
. When he came back to Puerto Rico, he started working at the workshop of Lorenzo Homar
at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture). He currently is the Resident Artist of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
and directs the Ramón Frade Museum
at the same institution.
As a writer, Martorell has written books such as La piel de la memoria (translated as Memory's Tattoo by Andrew Hurley
), and El libro dibujado (The Drawn Book). He currently writes a column for Escenario, a section of Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero
.
Martorell was the winner of the Bienal de Arte de San Juan, and has illustrated books of several authors including Alma Rosa Flor, Heraclio Cepeda, Nicholasa Mohr
, and Pura Belpré
. He also illustrated the ABC de Puerto Rico published by Troutman Press; this book was later burned by the Educational Department of Puerto Rico under Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
's administration.
Martorell's house in Cayey, Puerto Rico
was subjected to arson in November 2006, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in art were lost.
He currently has a workshop in Ponce
and another in New York
. He is also the father of the dancer Alejandra Martorell and the stepfather of Giovanni Rodríguez, director of the cult film, Red Canyon, and a grandfather of Gael Rodríguez.
The most extensive publication on Martorell's work is Antonio Díaz-Royo's biography Martorell: la aventura de la creación (The Adventure of Creation).
Life
Martorell was born on April 18, 1939 in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is the son of Antonio Martorell II and Luisa Cardona. He is the first of three children. He first started showing interest in arts as a small child with drawings. He studied diplomacy at Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and then went to study painting with Julio Martín Caro in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. When he came back to Puerto Rico, he started working at the workshop of Lorenzo Homar
Lorenzo Homar
Lorenzo Homar , is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest graphic artist.-Early years:Homar, born in the "Barrio" Puerta de Tierra of San Juan, Puerto Rico, inherited his love for the arts from both of his parents. His father was an arts promoter and his mother a pianist. He went to...
at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture). He currently is the Resident Artist of the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is a state university located in the municipality of Cayey, Puerto Rico.-General information:The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is among the fifty U.S...
and directs the Ramón Frade Museum
Ramon Frade
Ramón Frade was one of Puerto Rico's most renowned visual artist and architects. His realist style of painting captured the life of the typical Puerto Rican in the twentieth century.-Early years:...
at the same institution.
As a writer, Martorell has written books such as La piel de la memoria (translated as Memory's Tattoo by Andrew Hurley
Andrew Hurley (academic)
Andrew Hurley is primarily known as an English translator of Spanish literature, having translated a variety of authors, most notably the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges....
), and El libro dibujado (The Drawn Book). He currently writes a column for Escenario, a section of Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero
El Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
.
Martorell was the winner of the Bienal de Arte de San Juan, and has illustrated books of several authors including Alma Rosa Flor, Heraclio Cepeda, Nicholasa Mohr
Nicholasa Mohr
Nicholasa Mohr is one of the best known Nuyorican writers. Her works tell of growing up in the Puerto Rican communities of the Bronx and El Barrio and of the difficulties Puerto Rican women face in the United States.- Life and career :...
, and Pura Belpré
Pura Belpré
Pura Belpré was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. She was also a writer, collector of folktales, and puppeteer. There is some dispute as to the date of her birth which has been given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and February 2, 1903.- Education :She was born in Cidra,...
. He also illustrated the ABC de Puerto Rico published by Troutman Press; this book was later burned by the Educational Department of Puerto Rico under Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
's administration.
Martorell's house in Cayey, Puerto Rico
Cayey, Puerto Rico
Cayey is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo...
was subjected to arson in November 2006, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in art were lost.
He currently has a workshop in Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
and another in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He is also the father of the dancer Alejandra Martorell and the stepfather of Giovanni Rodríguez, director of the cult film, Red Canyon, and a grandfather of Gael Rodríguez.
The most extensive publication on Martorell's work is Antonio Díaz-Royo's biography Martorell: la aventura de la creación (The Adventure of Creation).
Publications
- La piel de la memoria. [Puerto Rico]: Ediciones Envergadura, 1991.
- El libro dibujado: el dibujo librado. Cayey [P.R.]; New York: Ediciones Envergadura, 1995.
- Memory’s Tattoo. Translation of La piel de la memoria from the Spanish by Andrew Hurley; foreword by Luis Rafael SánchezLuis Rafael SanchezDr. Luis Rafael Sánchez a.k.a. "Wico" is a Puerto Rican playwright. Possibly his best known play is La Pasión según Antigona Pérez , a tragedy based on the life of Olga Viscal Garriga-Early years:...
. San Juan, P.R.: Editorial Plaza Mayor, 2005. ISBN 1563282399.
See also
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature