Sunday, March 02, 2008

Spotlight: Cemí Underground is an orgullo latino


_MG_3758 Nikon Editor UMM.jpg
Originally uploaded by prsuncom
Cemí Underground brings cultura to life in El Barrio

Photo and Text by Ricardo Muñiz

In June 2007, Galería Cemí launched Cemí Underground, a Puerto Rican/Latino cultural outlet in the heart of New York City's El Barrio that sells books, T-shirts, crafts and music; produces a host of cultural events; and showcases a revolving art gallery. 

Graphic artist Luís Cordero and Séry Colón, an actor who once owned Agüeybaná Bookstore on the Lower East Side, founded Cemí Underground, which has become a cultural haven in the Latino arts community at a time when El Barrio is becoming increasingly gentrified. The popular storefront shop is located at 1799 Lexington Avenue at East 112th Street.

Cordero describes a cemí as “a sacred object, which is the artistic representation of a guardian spirit or deity that was skillfully carved in stone, bone, cotton, wood and rock by the Taíno indigenous people of the Caribbean.”

Cordero says he and Colón launched Cemí Underground “with the goal of establishing an entity that would add another voice to the desperately few voices promoting and proclaiming our art and artists to the world.”

Cemí Underground is currently hosting a lineup of cultural and art events for Women's History Month, highlighting Latinas.

At Cemí Underground, you will find published works about poet Julia de Burgos, Puerto Rican nationalist leader Don Pedro Albizú Campos, salsero Héctor Lavoe, and writings describing the Taíno and African heritage of Caribbean people. New and recent titles by writers Steven Torres, Nicholasa Mohr and Pedro Pietri line the shelves. A collectible books section with hard-to-find books about Puerto Rican/Latino history and culture sets this bookstore apart from the rest. 
 
New York’s hottest Latino poets such as Willie Perdomo and María Aponte have appeared at Cemí Underground. Cemí Underground has also featured musical tributes by Carmen DeLucca, cultural educational talks by lecturers such as Bobby González and comedy shows by emerging Latinos.

A modest art gallery space has exhibited up-and-coming artists like painter Yasmín Hernández, photographer Elena “Mamarazzi” Marrero, ceramic artist and community activist Esperanza Martell, as well as the paintings of well-known poet Sandra María Estéves. Cemí Underground also carries handmade crafts by New York's best Puerto Rican artisans.

Cemí Underground also has a growing music section that features CDs by New York's own boricua roots music sensation Tato Torres y Yerbabuena; Puerto Rican protest music icon Roy Brown; and hip hop artists The Welfare Poets.

In addition, Cemí Underground is one of the only cultural stores in the city where you will find graphic T-shirts with indigenous Taíno symbols and silk-screened designs featuring Don Pedro Albizú Campos and Ché Guevara.

For more information, visit www.cemiunderground.com and www.myspace.com/cemiunderground.

Ricardo Muñiz is a Puerto Rican social worker, teacher, community activist, puppeteer and photographer who contributes his writings and photography to Puerto Rico Sun.
Check out more of Ricardo's photos featuring models posing in Cordero's designs at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prsun/sets/72157604023769567/

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lineup of Women's History month events at Cemí Underground:


Saturday, March 1st – 6:00 pm - Kick off reception
7:00 pm - Performance by Maria Aponte
“Lagrimas De Mis Madres” with musical accompaniment by Chacho Ramirez
Admission: $7.00

Friday, March 7th – 7:00 pm
Screening of the film – “The Krutch”
Written, directed and presented by Judith Escalona
Admission: $5.00


Saturday, March 8th – 5:00 pm
Featured Poet Sandra Garcia Rivera
Admission: $7.00

Wednesday, March 12th – 7:00 pm
Image, Power, Word – Artist Yasmin Hernandez shares images and words in the first public reading of her poetry on life and liberation. Admission: FREE

Friday, March 14th – 7:00 pm
Exhibit Reception. Photography Exhibition by Elena "MAMARAZZI" Marrero
Admission: FREE

Saturday, March 15th – 5:00 pm
Exhibit Reception. Art Exhibition by Mia Hernandez.
Admission: FREE

Wednesday, March 19th – 7:00 pm
Performance by Maria Aponte
"I will not be silenced" a monologue based on
Sor Juana Ines De La cruz
Followed by a Q&A
Admission: $7.00

Friday, March 21st – 7:00 pm
Presentations by Nicholasa Mohr and Raquel Z. Rivera
Admission: $7.00

Saturday, March 22nd – 5:00 pm
Latina Filmmakers Document the Community
Presented by Sonia Gonzalez and Iris Morales
Admission: $7.00

Friday, March 28th – 7:00 pm
Las Poetas de Boricuation
hosted by - Caridad "La Bruja" De La Luz.
Featuring the poetry of Adele Ramos, Taina and Seary.
Admission: $7.00

Saturday, March 29th – 3:00 pm
RebelArte Visual Charla Series
hosted by – Yasmin Hernandez.
Admission: $5.00


Cemí Underground
1799 Lexington Ave., at 112th St., El Barrio, NYC 10029

212-860-2820

Email: info@cemiunderground.com