Name: Abrianna Walters

Grade: 101 Pool: 7

Visual Arts assignment

Sofia Gallisa Muriente is a Puerto Rican visual artist.

She was born in Hato Ray in San Juan, Puerto Rico and
graduated from New York University earning her BFA in
Films & TV Production and Latin American Studies.
Gallisa Muriente’s artwork includes film and
photography among other media forms.

1. Multimedia Approach: Gallisá Muriente’s artwork spans various media, including film,
photography, prints, and writing. She uses these tools to explore themes related
to history, archives, and collections, particularly in the context of the environment and
colonialism. Her lens often focuses on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
2. Archival Exploration: In her early work, such as “Lluvia con nieve” (2014), Gallisá
Muriente utilized archival video footage from Paramount News. This footage
documented the 1955 transport of two tons of snow to Puerto Rico. Through this piece,
she dissected the archival material, extracting its implications and questioning its
historical context.
3. Counter-Historical Narratives: Many of her works intersect the physical with the
metaphorical or historical. For instance, “B-roll” (2016) incorporates political material
that encourages investment in Puerto Rico. By editing and presenting the video, she
highlights the tropes of persuasive media and draws parallels with other forms of
communication.
4. Asimilar y destruir: In 2018, Gallisá Muriente received the Puerto Rico Artist
Grant and used it to create the series “Asimilar y destruir”. This project involves
physical alterations to photographs, manipulating their conditions. Through her art, she
contemplates notions of beauty, politics, and the effects of timing and history.
5. Engaging with Family History: Gallisá Muriente draws upon her family background
and linkages to engage in counter-historical narratives. Her work resists colonial
erasures, claims historical agency, and proposes mechanisms for remembering and
reimagining. By contesting dominant visual culture, she deepens the subjectivity of
historical narratives.