Museum Essay #2

Sunday, November 1st, 2015

Dear Glendalys Medina,

Hello, this is one of your fans. My name is Neil Diestro. Recently, I have took a trip to the El Museo Del Barrio on the upper east side of Manhattan and encountered one of your interesting artworks. I saw your shoe boxes. Also, known as “Boombox #2.” This was no doubt the most interesting piece of art I have seen in El Museo. One of the reasons is because of the various materials that was made to assemble the boombox. From the label, the materials that was used was sneaker boxes, hinges, plexiglass, laces, and pipes. Not even pencil, pastel, or even watercolor was used to create this. Honestly, that was a good call on your part. My personal favorite material that you used was the laces. It is also the material that I do not totally understand. Was the laces that was wrapped around the front part of the selective shoe boxes a creative symbol to show what the speakers of the boombox would look like? Or was it there just for your selected style? It must’ve been a very interesting yet, tedious process in creating the Boombox #2. One thing that I’ve noticed is that four out of the nine shoe boxes is the Puma brand. Is that because that is one of your favorite sneaker brands? Or is it supposed to symbolize what could possibly be popular brand back in your hometown Ponce, Puerto Rico? There are the major brands in the sneaker box too like Nike and Converse. But I also noticed that Adidas was not in the sneakerbox. Possibly no reason? Just irony? Just because there are only about three different brands in the plexiglass does not downgrade the creativity of the artwork at all. It is probably your selective preference and the brands may symbolize something about your own personality. One day I would like to find out. Not only is this piece of art creative, but I really enjoy the different cultures it can represent. Especially since the classic Nike box incorporated in the boombox, the urban community all around New York City can connect and even appreciate that since the majority of us owns at least a pair of that brand. The urban community can also connect to the Converse boxes too since it is a classic basketball sneaker and also since basketball is a huge part of the community around here. Not only do I feel like you are communicating towards New York City urban terrains, but also your fellow countrymen back home. Ms. Medina, I feel this maybe a long shot, but due to the shoeboxes and the boombox, this artwork probably symbolizes how you grew up or how a lot of the youth grows up in Puerto Rico. Using what they have. The limited pairs of sneakers, and using the eighties style boombox, to listen to music and have a great time. There are many different points of views that I can see through my lenses with this artwork, but hopefully I get to encounter your intentions and direct creativity towards Boombox #2.

Your fan,

Neil Diestro