María Cortijo Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of biographical information, a photograph, a doll, vessel, and heart woven with plastic bags. The collection dates to 2003, when Centro exhibited Cortijo’s work in its gallery.
Dates
- 2002-2003
Creator
- Cortijo, María (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright held by Centro.
Biographical / Historical
María Cortijo, a resident of Brooklyn since 1950s, was a self-taught artist. Cortijo transformed disposable plastic bags into vases, hats, flags, vests, dolls and caps that “intentionally, and somehow whimsically, integrates different colors, which make for highly textured weavings each one unique… her imagination reaches back to the campos of Puerto Rico and forward to her new urban context in the diaspora. The results are surreal objects of fantasy, delight irony and contradiction.” This collection saves for posterity some examples of her work in the archive forever.
In 2003, the Centro Gallery hosted an exhibition on self-taught artists, including Cortijo. The exhibit was curated by José Vidal.
Source: Nuyorican Outsider: The Art of Dona Cortijo by Jose Vidal, Siempre, September 2003, page 22 and “Las criaturas sorprendentes de ‘doña Cortijo.’ El Diario/la Prensa, Arte y Cultura, domingo 7 de septiembre de 2003 page 20 Display images from: María Cortijo
Extent
0.12 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Spanish; Castilian
Abstract
A resident of Brooklyn since the 1950s, Cortijo is a Puerto Rican artist who created an art form, weaving dolls and other artifacts, such as handbags, baskets and even vests from disposable plastic bags. The María Cortijo collection consists of 0.12 cubic feet of biographical information, a photograph, and woven artifacts. The collection dates to 2003, when Centro exhibited Cortijo’s work in its gallery.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by María Cortijo.
- Art, Puerto Rican -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Artifacts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Artists Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Biographical history Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puerto Rican women -- New York (State) -- New York Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- María Cortijo Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Biographical Sketch written by José Vidal. Archive staff members under the supervision of Pedro Juan Hernandez.
- Date
- February 2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- May 2021: Notes updated by Victoria Fernandez and Lindsay Wittwer
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of the Puerto Rican Diaspora Repository
Silberman Building, Hunter College
2180 Third Ave. Rm. 122
New York New York 10065
centro.library@hunter.cuny.edu
