SOLDADERAS

Soldaderas is the 2011 Mexican/ Chicanx/ Boricua Solidarity Mural
by Brooklyn-born and raised, Borikén-based Rematriated artist, Yasmín Hernández.
Modesto "Tín" Flores Community Garden
Lexington Avenue between 104 & 105th streets
El Barrio/ East Harlem, NYC

INSTALLATION June 2011

Yasmin Hernandez' Soldaderas mural, on a brick wall are painted the the Mexican and Puerto Rican flags fusing a shared red stripe and the image of painter Frida Kahlo sitting in a yellow dress wearing ammunition across her chest and an exposed heart, holding the hand of the seated figure of poet Julia de Burgos, in a blue dress and head scarf, also with ammunition across her chest and an exposed heart.

Soldaderas Mural, Yasmin Hernandez

Photo by Francisco Reyes II. Mamboso.net

Full image of Yasmin Hernandez' Soldaderas mural, on a brick wall she has painted a nature scene to the left of blue sky, blue sea, plants and flowers and to the right the Mexican and Puerto Rican flags fusing a shared red stripe and the image of painter Frida Kahlo sitting in a yellow dress wearing ammunition across her chest and an exposed heart, holding the hand of the seated figure of poet Julia de Burgos, in a blue dress and head scarf, also with ammunition across her chest and an exposed heart.

Soldaderas Mural, full view, Yasmin Hernandez

Photo by Francisco Reyes II, Mamboso.net.

UNVEILING July 2011

Artist Yasmin Hernandez stands in front of the Soldaderas mural, on a brick wall she has painted the Mexican and Puerto Rican flags fusing a shared red stripe and the image of painter Frida Kahlo sitting in a yellow dress wearing ammunition and an exposed heart, holding the hand of the seated figure of poet Julia de Burgos, in a blue dress and head scarf, also with ammunition across her chest and an exposed heart.

Mexica dancer in dark blue dress and red head band across her forehead holds up smoking incense to the Soldaderas Mural with the hands of Frida Kahlo and Julia de Burgos, the ammunition crossing their chests and their exposed hearts at her eye level.

Soldaderas, named after the women soldiers of the Mexican Revolution, is a mural tribute to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo and Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. It honors the common histories/ struggles, and solidarity of Mexicans/ Chicanx and Puerto Ricans. Inspired by Kahlo’s painting, “Las dos Fridas,” the two women sit holding hands, their flags merge sharing a central red stripe. Soldaderas is also inspired by the neighboring Puerto Rican and Mexican communities who have made El Barrio/ East Harlem their home.

Commissioned by Art For Change, We unveiled the mural in East Harlem's Modesto “Tín” Flores Community Garden on Lexington Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets, administered by Hope Community, Inc. on July 6, 2011. Julia de Burgos transitioned on July 6th, 1953, Frida Kahlo's penultimate birthday. The unveiling brought together members of both communities, opening with a Mexica blessing by Kalpulli Huehuetlahtolli and combining poets, musicians and speakers. A candlelight vigil began with the godmother of Nuyorican Poetry, Sandra María Esteves, reading de Burgos’ famed poem Río Grande de Loíza. Next Sery Colón, and Prisionera read her poems in front of the mural before we all began a candlelight vigil procession led by pleneros. Stopping at several significant sites along 106th Street/ Julia de Burgos Boulevard, including Manny Vega’s mosaic portrait of Julia and the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, at each site poets recited selected de Burgos poems. The procession ended on 5th Avenue in front of Central Park, where we read Dadme mi Número y Poema Para mi Muerte.

Included on the mural are Julia de Burgos’ words to her sister Consuelo while living in New York City: Tengo hambre de libertad. Si me muero no quiere que este trágico país se trague mis huesos. Necesitan el calor de Borinquen por lo menos para fortalecer los gusanos de allá y no los de acá.
Three years after unveiling Soldaderas, in 2014 I moved from New York City to Puerto Rico. In 2017, following the earthquake in Mexico and Hurricane María the image circulated heavily on social media as part of various relief/ fundraising efforts. I didn’t learn of this until I was able to regain a signal on my phone a month after Hurricane María. I am honored and humbled that the mural served as a symbol of solidarity in such a difficult time in our matrias and Diaspora communities. These two ancestras continue to be a guiding light in awe-inspiring ways. Below are more resources and links on the Soldaderas Mural. Thank you for visiting!