Gisela Colón never envisioned herself as an artist. Reflecting on her upbringing in Puerto Rico, where her childhood was marked by both instability and the serene backdrop of a family farm in Bayamón, she initially pursued a career in law to seek protection and stability.
After moving to California in 1987 on a Truman scholarship, she built a successful career in environmental law while raising her two sons. Art, a passion passed down from her mother, remained a secondary pursuit until her children left for college. "That was my time," she recalls, marking her return to creativity.
Fast forward nearly forty years, Colón now finds herself featured in two significant solo exhibitions: "Radiant Earth" at the Bruce Museum and "The Mountain, The Monolith" at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico. This dual showcase not only highlights her career achievements but also serves as a poignant homecoming. With representation from Puerto Rico-based dealer Walter Otero, her international acclaim has flourished, with installations displayed at prestigious sites including Desert X AlUla and near the Pyramids of Giza.
Colón's artistic style, which she describes as "organic minimalism," emphasizes the materials and their origins rather than mere form. Her sculptures engage in a dialogue with Minimalism, Light and Space, and Land Art, focusing on the essence of the materials used.
At the Bruce Museum, her work manifests in two distinct forms. The wall-mounted "pods" resemble cellular structures, blurring the line between organic and designed objects, while the taller monoliths change hue with the shifting natural light, creating a captivating experience for viewers. Curator Margarita Karasoulas describes the effect as "magical," noting how the sculptures compel attention as they interact with their surroundings.
Colón's innovative use of aerospace-grade materials and engineered pigments allows her artworks to shift visually as viewers move around them. The sculptures, though appearing machine-made, are meticulously crafted by hand, with pigments sourced from specific locations, including references to Puerto Rican landscapes like river systems and coastal formations.
Her creations reflect a deep connection to time and nature. The pods evoke personal and perceptual experiences, while the monoliths resonate with geological and spiritual dimensions. Colón often expresses a profound bond with the earth, stating, "I feel like in the past life I was a rock. I was a piece of basalt."
Colón's formative years in Puerto Rico, influenced by her chemist father and artist mother, instilled in her a sensitivity to nature's transformative power. This connection is evident in her choice of materials and the forms of her sculptures, which echo the landscapes of her youth, from the El Yunque rainforest to the caves of Camuy.
As Puerto Rico gains visibility in global culture, partly due to figures like Bad Bunny, Colón embraces this attention while asserting that the island's artistic legacy has always been present. She highlights the rich history of Puerto Rican talent, suggesting that the island is like a dormant volcano, teeming with potential and creativity.
Colón's work embodies this energy, with her sculptures appearing as if shaped over time rather than crafted in isolation. This artistic evolution showcases her journey of returning to her roots, revealing how Puerto Rico has continually influenced her perspective and artistry.