Yauco: Art Transforms A Town’s Narrative

YAUCO, Puerto Rico — There is a street in Yauco that follows a steep incline up a mountain. It’s bursting with color, wildlife, and smiling welcoming faces. The vibrant blues, oranges, pinks, and yellows bouncing off the buildings submerse visitors into a unique cultural experience that truly encapsulates the island’s pride.

But it wasn’t always this way. Samuel González’s project Yauchromatic2 transformed the town after the 2017 hurricanes and paved a space for local business’s to thrive.

Puerto Rican native Edrick Pagan, 45, has been making and selling jewelry on the island for almost 10 years. He was born in Mayaguez but after marrying his wife who is from Yauco, he found it a beautiful place to grow his business. He loves the mountains and waterfalls in the surrounding areas.

“We come here because of what Samuel has done with his project,” said Pagan. “We see that it is a great place for our business, and many people of different backgrounds come here. My jewelry is liked by people from all over the world so I know I am selling a good product.”

González shared that before the project, Yauco had a long history of violence. Whether it was murder or drug trafficking, visitors steered away from the area for safety purposes.

Part of his mission with the art and murals was to transform the city and bring more tourists in to help its ecosystem. He also wanted to share the message of how powerful art can be in circumstances like this.

When the project was initiated, people would come each weekend to work on a small area of the community. Despite how big and beautiful the paintings are, it only took about three-four weeks to finish them entirely. It truly showed what Puerto Ricans are able to do when they unite with enough resources.

“This completely changed the atmosphere and feeling of Yauco,” said González. “It’s an optic illusion. It transformed itself into a landmark in Puerto Rico after being one of the less-visited places. Color and art can transform a community completely.”

Pagan is proud to call this place home for his business now and is able to share his jewelry with people all around the world. He offers a wide variety of necklaces, rings, and bracelets with all sorts of designs.

“We make it from different materials,” said Pagan. “Wood, leather, aluminum, and stainless steel. All of our chains are handmade. We have some bracelets made from bamboo too. There’s stuff with letters for your name.”

With the help of the project, people from France, Japan, and South America are able to see Pagan’s jewelry and share it with their loved ones in their home countries. Like many people on the island, he loves sharing Puerto Rican culture with everyone who visits and stops by his booth.

“Puerto Ricans are special people from the heart,” Pagan shared. “We are intense people. Everything we do, we try to do the best because we are in a part of the world where people come from many different countries. If we don’t do it the best quality, we get overlooked.”

González has six projects throughout the island and Yachromatic2 is now the most visited one. The art has truly helped people in the area start new businesses and rehabilitate existing ones.

“Samuel’s project has protected this area,” said Pagan. “People are able to have their businesses and sell handmade goods from their homes. You are in a safe place here.”