Our Island of Treasures
Puerto Rican Voices from Indiana
July 25, 2026 - February 19, 2027
Our Island of Treasures: Puerto Rican Voices from Indiana brings together the work of the ¡WEPArt! Colectivo, a collective of ten Puerto Rican artists based in Indiana, united by a shared passion for celebrating, preserving, and exploring their cultural identity.
This exhibition was born from a desire to challenge disparaging narratives about Puerto Rico and its people by celebrating the treasures of La Isla del Encanto. Rather than defining the island through moments of crisis or misconception, Our Island of Treasures reframes Puerto Rico as a place of extraordinary cultural, historical, ecological, and artistic abundance. Through visual storytelling, the artists share the profound connections they hold with the island’s people, history, landscapes, and spirit, bringing those experiences to audiences across Indiana, the Midwest, and beyond.
Each ¡WEPArt Colectivo! member offers a distinct artistic perspective that contributes to a vibrant and meaningful collective voice. Working across a rich tapestry of mediums, the artists explore themes of memory, ancestry, migration, folklore, resilience, ecology, and belonging. Their works celebrate Puerto Rico’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, and evolving identity – particularly as experienced from afar. Together, the exhibition forms a rich tapestry of artistic expression that reflects both individual journeys and a shared cultural inheritance.
While each artist tells its own story, collectively they affirm that Puerto Rican identity is not confined by geography but continues to evolve wherever Puerto Ricans preserve their culture, build community, and create.
This exhibition is presented by The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in partnership with ¡WEPArt! Colectivo.
Presented with support from:
Participating ¡WEPArt! Colectivo Artists:
Elisa Barety; D. Del Reverda-Jennings; Mirvia Sol Eckert; Ita García; Ángel Olivera; Ricardo Rosamar; Frances Ruiz; Carlos Sosa Pagán; Nettie Viera; and André Zhang Sonera
Exhibition Gallery
Elisa Barety | Guardiana de El Yunque, 2025
Elisa Barety | La Charca de las Brujas, 2025
Elisa Barety | La Jíbara, 2025
D. Del Reverda-Jennings | INTERRELATEDNESS, 2025
D. Del Reverda-Jennings | REMEMBRANCE OF LINGERING III, 2025
D. Del Reverda-Jennings | FOR THE DAUGHTERS WHO REMEMBER, 2025
Mivia Sol Eckert | Distant Memories, 2025
Mivia Sol Eckert | Spirit of Resilience, 2025
Mivia Sol Eckert | Strength in Resistance, 2025
Mivia Sol Eckert | Spirit of the Drums. Bomba., 2024
Ita García | San Pedrito, 2025
Ita García | El Misterio del Café, 2025
Ita García | Trinitarias de Mayagüez, 2025
Ita García | Pelea en la Losa, 2026
Ángel Olivera | Madre Bahía, 2025
Ángel Olivera | Sra. Tortuga, 2025
Ricardo Rosamar | Both Sides of the Table I, 2025
Ricardo Rosamar | Both Sides of the Table II, 2025
Frances Ruiz | Vejigante de Loíza #2
Frances Ruiz | Vejigante de Ponce, 2025
Frances Ruiz | Fuimos Las Primeras, 2026
Carlos Sosa Pagán | The 65th, 2025
Carlos Sosa Pagán | laBandería, 2025
Carlos Sosa Pagán | CaSEEta El Viejo SJ, 2025
Carlos Sosa Pagán | Los VejiGENTES III, 2025
Nettie Viera | Ceiba Trees, 2025
Nettie Viera | Flamboyán, 2025
Nettie Viera | Playa, 2025
Nettie Viera | Cara del Indio, 2026
André Zhang Sonera | Torre Yokahú, 2018
André Zhang Sonera | Túnel Guajataca, 2025
André Zhang Sonera | Playa Crashboat, 2017
André Zhang Sonera | Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis, 2018
André Zhang Sonera | Cueva La Ventana, 2014
Opening Reception
Saturday, July 25, 2026 | National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture