August 2024

Introduction

I had occasion to be in San Juan for a week earlier this month. While I spent most of my time working with (or waiting for) workmen to do various tasks in our apartment, I did have time to find new street art. In fact, one of the workmen, knowing my interest in street art, took me on a quick tour of new works in his car. So here are newly discovered works from two parts of the city.

Puerta de Tierra

Calle San Agustin

The walled city of Old San Juan is on a small island, Isleta de San Juan. The walled city once had a gate called Puerta de Tierra, literally gate to the land. The gate in question, once located where the Plaza Colon has since been built, was the walled city’s gate to the rest of the Isleta de San Juan; that part of the island is now known as Puerta de Tierra.

An electric scooter leans against a wall on which a muralist proclaims his love of his neighborhood.

The next four images are from a small square along Calle San Agustin. There is a small kisoco there which sells beer, juices, and empanadillas to patrons sitting at umbrella-shaded tables.

My guide told me the mural depicted a recent Puerto Rican Miss Universe contestant.

I found the next two also on Calle San Agustin, across from a bar I sometimes visit. They are a mini sports hall of fame.

This mural honors Monica Puig and Roberto Clemente. Monica Puig, a professional tennis player, won a Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympics, in the tennis singles event. She was the first Puerto Rican to win a gold. Roberto Clemente was a 21 year Hall of Fame major league baseball player.

Jasmine Camacho Quinn became the second Puerto Rican to win an Olympics gold medal. She won the women’s 100 meter hurdles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This colorful mural is in a courtyard just off of Avenida de la Constitucion, a block up from Calle San Agustin.

Calle del Tren

The next four are along the Calle del Tren, the bus lanes into and out of Old San Juan.

This is a huge mural, about five stories tall. I don’t know who the artist is but the mural reminds me of one on the Calle Cerra neighborhood. That mural was of a large rabbit.

This mural is much more modestly sized. I like the green face.

These last two are along the bus lanes one block east of our apartment building.

Calle Cerra

The Calle Cerra neighborhood, in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, is noted for its everchanging wall art. I’ve written about it before (click here and here to get caught up). Here are some new murals I found on my recent trip.

The first is on the block between Avenida Ponce de Leon and Avenida Fernandez Juncos. It is a cross from a small Mexican restaurant, one of our favorites.

The others are from a block or two down, south of Avenida Fernandez Juncos.

The above is on a side wall along the sidewalk.

This is by the Puerto Rican artist David Zayas. It replaces an earlier work by the same artist. If I chose to edit this image further, I will remove the louvres. It will take some time but I think it will be worth it.

This is on a wall along the sidewalk, one block east of Calle Cerra.

The two murals above are along the sidewalk.

The last three are along an alley off of lower Calle Cerra.

Notes and Sources

I captured the murals with my digital camera. I edit them with Adobe Lightroom and/or Adobe Photoshop.

Check Wikipedia for information on the three athletes shown in the murals along Calle San Agustin.

Use Wikipedia to find information about the Puerto Rican artist David Zayas.