Orgullo Latino

NYC PUERTO RICAN PHOTOGRAPHER AND ARTIST RICARDO MUNIZ IS A FAMILIAR NAME TO OUR BEAUTIFULMAG READERS. MUCH OF HIS FASHION WORK IS DEVOTED TO PROMOTING DESIGNERS, ARTISTS AND MODELS OF COLOR – ESPECIALLY FROM HIS OWN LATINO BACKGROUND. HERE RICARDO HAS DONE IT AGAIN, BRINGING US THE CULTURAL ARTWORK OF LUIS CORDERO IN THE EDITORIAL ‘ORGULLO LATINO.’

What is a “Cemí?” Graphic artist Luís Cordero, describes a cemí is as “a sacred object which is the artistic representation of a guardian spirit/deity that was skillfully carved in stone, bone, cotton, wood and rock by the Taíno indigenous people of the Caribbean.” It is also the name of the name of Cemí Underground, a Puerto Rican/Latino cultural outlet founded by Luís Cordero, that sells books, t-shirts, art, music, and which produces cultural events including a constantly changing art exhibition.

Cemí Underground was launched “with the goal of establishing an entity that would add another voice to the desperately few voices promoting and proclaiming our art and artists to the world.” And that is exactly what it does. A collectible books section with impossible-to-find books about Puerto Rican/Latino history and culture sets this bookstore apart from the rest. You find authors like Steven Torres, Nicholas Mohr and Pedro Pietri. Poets as Willie Perdomo and María Aponte. painter Yasmin Hernandez, photographer Amy Ponce, ceramic artist and community activist Esperanza Martell. And many many more. There is a music section that features CDs by New York's own Boricua Roots Music sensation, Tato Torres y Yerbabuena, Puerto Rican protest music icon, Roy Brown, and hip hop artists, The Welfare Poets.

Cemí Underground is also the only store where you will find graphic t-shirts with indigenous Taíno symbols and silk-screened designs featuring Don Pedro Albizú Campos and Ché Guevara. Some of these designs, by store owner and graphic artist, Luís Cordero, are featured here in this editorial, “Orgullo latino,” shot by Puerto Rican social worker, teacher, community activist, puppeteer and established photographer, Ricardo Muñiz.

Cemí Underground is located at 1799 Lexington Avenue at East 112th Street in the heart of “El Barrio,” or Spanish Harlem in New York City, 10029. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. –B-

T-shirt designs by Luís Cordero.
Styling by Valerie Greene.
Makeup by Mackendy Marseille.
Featuring models Miguel Mejía, Giovanni Pérez, Steven Muñoz and Jovanni Jiménez.