DIVEDCO
DIVEDCO was a governmental office created with the essential goal of making accessible cultural production all over the island
La Perla by Margot FerraInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
As a result of the Great Depression, and the San Ciriaco and San Ciprián hurricanes, the island of Puerto Rico in the '40s and '50s, raised pressing social and economic concerns. Primarily, poverty and little or no schooling prevailed.
Arrabal / 56 by Jose R. OliverInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
Inadequate roads made transportation difficult from rural areas to urban centers where education was more accessible. Sanitary and aqueduct systems were scarce, and public health was precarious. This was the reality captured by the artists of the day.
Casita en la playa / sin titulo by Margot FerraInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
In this selection of paintings, artists portray the landscape of Puerto Rico of the times. The population that emigrated to the city was grouped in neighborhoods and suburbs, as depicted in the works of José M. Figueroa, José Oliver, and Margot Ferra.
Jugando bola by Carlos Raquel RiveraInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
The houses were modest, made of wood with zinc roofs, and the health and hygiene conditions were not remarkably different from those left behind in the countryside.
Niños con cabra by Julio Rosado del ValleInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
However, the city offered better alternatives for work and education.
Arrabal Rojo by José R. OliverInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
At this juncture, the Community Education Division, known as DIVEDCO (División de Educación a la Comunidad), was born.
Arrabal by José M. FigueroaInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
It was an educational and cultural project of the Government of Puerto Rico to reach those rural communities, which they saw as the most pressing need to attend at that time.
Una Gota de Agua ("1947") by Julio Rosado del ValleInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
According to statistics, most of the population lived in provincial areas of the country.
Peligro ("1947") by Irene DelanoInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
The priority was to educate Puerto Ricans who were isolated and predominantly poor.
Modesta ("1956") by Lorenzo HomarInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
DIVEDCO arose from the need to find easy-to-use tools to reach this demographic.
Los Peloteros ("1951") by Lorenzo HomarInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
The medium was the poster, dealing with issues from the urgency to wash hands to prevent diseases and illiteracy to the importance of organization as a community to achieve a common goal: getting uniforms for a baseball team, improving living conditions, workers' struggles, etc.
Defiéndanlos ("1947") by Irene DelanoInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
It is pertinent to point out the managers of this graphic workshop who were crucial in making the first posters: Edwin Rosskam and the husband and wife artist–duo Jack and Irene Delano.
Pedacito de Tierra ("1952") by Rafael Tufiño FigueroaInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
By 1952, they were no longer part of the project, but they laid the foundation for the development of serigraphy and posters in Puerto Rico as an educational and promotional medium.
El Puente ("1950") by Francisco PalaciosInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
Artists now known as the Generation of the '50s worked in the graphics section: Lorenzo Homar, Rafael Tufiño, Rafael Delgado Castro, José Manuel Figueroa, Antonio Maldonado and José Meléndez Contreras, among others.
Juan Sin Seso ("1952") by Carlos OsorioInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
To present day, this generation sets the standard for graphic printing in Puerto Rico.
Una Voz en la Montaña ("1950") by Lorenzo HomarInstituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
To learn more about the DIVEDCO film archive, visit https://www.archivoicp.com/divedco
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