Only $1200 left to raise. 18 days to go!   

As of Wednesday, March 14, the Kickstarter Project to fund the publication of the English translation of Oscar López Rivera: Between Torture and Resistance has raised $2351.00 out of $3500.00 needed to publish. 18 days are left to raise the remaining $1200.00. Please go to the Kickstarter site (link at the end of the story) and donate what you can today. We must raise all of the money or we receive none of it. Between Torture and Resistance is the story of one of Latin America's longest-held political prisoners, a Puerto Rican pro-independence activist who was convicted of the political "crime" of seditious conspiracy, not of harming anyone. Lavishly illustrated with photos of his life and artwork (he has become a painter during his now over thirty years behind bars), the book is an easily accessible introduction to U.S.-Puerto Rico relations and contemporary prison issues.  

IPRAC Opens Exhibit of Catherine Matos Olivo

In commemoration of International Women's Day

By Juanita García

On March 8, 2012, the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) presented the most recent work of Puerto Rican artist, Catherine Matos Olivo. Catherine is a professor of art at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This exhibition was presented as part of IPRAC's annual celebration of International Women's Day. The exhibition features Matos Olivo's artwork from the book Galactic Vision: The Sketchbook Project of My Cancer Year.

Galactic Visions will be featured throughout the month of March at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) in the theater room. IPRAC is open Tuesday - Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and is located at 3015 W. Division.  

La Voz: How has your art changed after your bout with breast cancer?

CMO: I have never been an artist with a particular title. I believe an artist should not maintain a line of work. An artist must cover the necessity of the idea they have even if it's outside their discipline. I teach design at Escuela de Artes Plásticas but don't use that medium. However, while undergoing treatment, I spent a lot of time in bed. I began to use Photoshop and Illustrator. I began to develop a new phase of work; I designed the book Galactic Visions: The Sketchbook Project of My Cancer Year. I chose the typography, text, format, designed drawings and illustrations.

La Voz: What kind of lessons or interpretations would you like this community to get out of your art?

CMO: I want to expose the crude reality of the disease. The commercialization of the pink ribbon bothers me. It has become more of a fashion statement. It's not really pink; it doesn't speak to the process of the disease. What is being projected by mainstream media about breast cancer is not real. I would like my audience to leave knowing that breast cancer is not only a physical change but an emotional and lifestyle change, and that is in every aspect of life. Friends will change, the food one consumes changes. Doctors, hospitals and treatments become part of your life. The oncological hospital at the Centro Médico in Puerto Rico, Hospital Oncologico Dr. Isaac González Martínez has become a second home to me.I go to the hospital every week. The change is traumatic.

La Voz: What is the significance for you displaying your art here at IPRAC and in this community?

CMO: I'm really excited. The treatment since I have arrived has been incredible. I think it is important to not only show my work as a survivor's journal because it relates to lots of forms of cancer. Galactic Visions is beyond art therapy. It communicates and connects culturally but it also speaks to all women, regardless of their background. The fact that is can be understood by everybody is extremely important to me.

La Voz: Do you have anything to say to our readers of La Voz?

CMO: One of the most important life lessons I have learned is to live life sin prisa. Often times, we find ourselves trying to conquer more and more professionally and materialistically. Those things are not important. Live the moment. Share not only with fellow human beings but with nature, animals and yourself.

Catherine Matos Olivo is a 33-year-old artist who resides in her homeland of Puerto Rico. She received her Bachelor's at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in San Juan, Puerto Rico and her Master's degree from Donau University Krems in Austria. Currently, she works as a professor of arts at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas and Universidad Sagrado Corazón. She has given many private art lessons to individuals, displayed her artwork throughout several municipalities in Puerto Rico and has even worked for the Ferrer Family, owners of El Nuevo Día, a daily periodical in Puerto Rico.

Nearly 100 community leaders, particularly prominent members of the health care industry, were welcomed by Cook County Commissioner Edwin Reyes and José E. López, Executive Director of IPRAC, to a luncheon conversation with, the new CEO of the Cook County Health and Hospital Systems (CCHHS), Dr. Ramanathan Raju. The event took place on Friday, March 9th in the theatre assembly space in IPRAC, against the backdrop of Catherine Matos Olivo's exhibit titled Galactic Vision.

CCHHS is the third largest public health system in the country. Dr. Raju was trained in India, England and the United States and has a long and distinguished career as a board-certified surgeon and has held faculty positions at a variety of institutions.

During the luncheon Dr. Raju presented his vision of the Cook County Health System and engaged the community on how best to intersect with the community's vision and designs on health care.