Soraida is a New York-born artist and graphic designer who since 1992 has been known for creating the art of “Verdadism.” This contemporary hardedge painting style is a form of abstract expressionism and consists of two distinct, yet integral parts: the visual component and the written commentary. Soraida created the word Verdadism by combining the Spanish word for truth (Verdad) and the English suffix for theory (ism). The socially conscious art of Verdadism has influenced the work of artists, writers, and intellectuals interested in social change; Verdadism images are also being used by educators nationwide to teach diversity and tolerance. Born in 1956, Soraida holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a specialization in design and an Associate in Liberal Arts focusing on psychology. In Verdadism, every painting is always accompanied by a written social commentary based on Soraida's personal life experiences and observations on American society.
		"Guitar Player: A Symbol of Hope" Oil on Canvas, 36"x48" © 1993 Soraida Martinez
			"When I was nine years old, I visited family who lived along the Puerto Rican Mountainside where I remember seeing the 'cuatro' being played by many Puerto Ricans and I thought to myself that music was played everywhere to symbolize hope. Guitar Player: A Symbol Of Hope depicts the hope that we are all born with. Even though by the age of forty most of us have already lost that hope, Guitar Player is the embodiment of that desire to regain lost hope. The whites of the eyes of Guitar Player are able to penetrate deep into your soul to make a connection with your lost hope. The guitar itself is reminiscent of the everlasting, ringing sound that soothes us when there is hope and haunts us when there's no hope." ~ Soraida Martinez, 1993 Verdadism Social Commentary

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			Between Two Islands Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x48 "I am a woman between two islands. I was born on Manhattan Island in New York City, where as a child I knew that I was seen as a foreigner and not accepted as an American. (Even today people assume that I am from another country.) But, when I went to Puerto Rico, I also found out that I was not accepted because I was born in New York City and mainly spoke English. Many Puerto Ricans born in the states have this dilemma." © 1996 Soraida Martinez
			La Latina Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x48" "I was so surprised at the Latina Woman's response to my paintings that I painted La Latina. Many Latina Women of all different backgrounds (Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans and so on) have given me such a warm and encouraging response that I had to paint the aura of these Latina's approval. Of course, some Latinas have wanted to shoot me off the face of the earth and have said to me in many ways... 'how dare you think you are worth something'. But I only remember the many positive Latinas that have inspired me so much to continue." © 1995 Soraida Martinez
			Las Three Puerto Rican Hermanas Acrylic on Canvas, 36"X48" "Even though my two sisters and I are different in many ways and have taken different directions in life, we share a past pain and an unconditional love and respect for each other as women." © 1994 Soraida Martinez
			Piano Man: The Survival Of Hope Oil on Canvas, 36"x48" "As a child in New York City, I walked by this one neighborhood church where I heard Piano Man playing gospel music which, to me, gave me the feeling of hope. And that's the subject matter of this painting: hope and the expression thereof. From the time that we are born, society places mental blocks in our paths which we eventually accept or condone. Despite these obstacles, hope is what gives us the potential to empower ourselves, to create our own truth and, ultimately, to choose our own destiny. In Piano Man, hope is symbolized by the musician whose image is one of striving to achieve against the odds. The hands of Piano Man, painted as blocks, represent the stifling forces of self-doubt...even though the blocks are really not in the hands, but in the mind. The bold colors are the life and soul of hope. The eyes challenge you, the viewer, to look within." © 1993 Soraida Martinez

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			Please Stop Calling Us Minorities: We All Know That's An Unfair Label With Negative Connotations Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x48" "In this society many words have double meanings. I feel that everyone that has been called a minority at one time or another has felt that something is wrong. We have been conditioned to think that this is OK, but it is not. Our young people feel the impact of the bad connotations and because of this will start to act like second-class citizens. Let's just be who we are: Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Koreans, African-Americans and so on. Let's not allow the government and mainstream America be too lazy to refer to us by our proper origin." © 1994 Soraida Martinez
			Puerto Rican Stereotype: The Way You See Me Without Looking At Me Oil on Canvas, 36"x60" "Throughout my life, I have met lots of people that have never experienced meeting or getting to know a Puerto Rican woman. I have had some people admit to me their feelings on what they thought a Puerto Rican woman looked and acted like. Puerto Rican Stereotype: The Way You See Me Without Looking At Me is a satirical painting on the false information given to me by the media and other life experiences. The bowl of fruit on the head represents my childhood memories of Hollywood's 'Carmen Miranda' portrayal of women from Spanish-Speaking backgrounds. The tray in the hands is also from Hollywood's prevalent image of Puerto Rican women as domestic help. The bold colors show the stereotype of loudness that is assumed as to how Puerto Rican women dress. The obvious colorful female genitalia shows the Puerto Rican woman's place in society as ornaments." © 1992 Soraida Martinez
			Rage: It's My Body Oil on Canvas, 30"X40" "At a point in my life, I kept hearing politicians making decisions about abortion, sexual harassment and other issues about women. Most of them were men. Men telling women what to do with their bodies and men making decisions for women. What I felt was anger. How dare they not even include women in these choices. The tear in the female mask of Rage shows the pain and anger of living in a male dominated society that keeps women from making their own choices. The band across the neck is a man's red necktie which holds the woman in place and stifles her being. The red color represents a woman's blood as it is sucked out of her soul. The blocked hands depict the obstacles that are put before women. Rage: It's My Body is a painting about the violation of the female human spirit." © 1992 Soraida Martinez
			"The Weeping Puerto Rican Cuatro Player" Acrylic on Canvas, 36"x48" "We all know that Puerto Rico has an uncertain future. The Weeping Puerto Rican Cuatro Player is weeping because of the uncertainty of the future of the island of Puerto Rico." © 1996 Soraida Martinez

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			What Prejudice Looks Like Oil on Canvas, 30"x40" "I always thought that prejudice never looked evil but idiotic, because prejudice is a pre-conceived idea and is not logical; therefore, prejudice is incoherent and stupid. The figure in What Prejudice Looks Like embodies the awkwardness and the unbalanced psyche of the prejudice human being. The arms cross the neck of the figure to show the strangling of the soul when it is prejudice." © 1993 Soraida Martinez
			Woman on a String Oil on Canvas, 30"X40" "Sometimes I feel that in order to be accepted and to succeed in life I must hang by that male string of American society; because if I don't hang from that string, I will fall to the floor. Like other women, I had allowed myself to be manipulated just for acceptance. Women make up over fifty percent of the population, but for many years we have obviously not been the decision makers. When I did decide to pull off that string, I felt the consequences of being labeled with the derogatory terms that men use to describe independent women who voice their opinions. Woman On A String represents the present status of women in American society." © 1992 Soraida Martinez
			Interracial Family: The Way Society Sees It Oil on Canvas, 36"x60" "This painting is about the second marriage of my mother to my stepfather, who died six years ago. My stepfather was a Puerto Rican of African ancestry, while my mother is a fair skin Puerto Rican of Spanish ancestry. As a teenager, I always liked to observe people and evaluate situations. I remember the looks they both got when they would walk into restaurants and other public places. But the worst part was when my stepfather was dying and I overheard a nurse joke to another nurse that she didn't know that my mother was his wife because 'she's white and he's black.' The two large figures in Interracial Family: The Way Society Sees It portray different races, with the third smaller figure representing the union of these two different races. It is the child figure that shows the inbalance and awkwardness with which society sees interracial relationships. I think that Interracial Family: The Way Society Sees It is a painting that portrays the eerie feeling prejudiced people experience when they see two people of different races get together." © 1992 Soraida Martinez
		Every original painting is accompanied by a written social commentary. This is why the artist calls her work, “Verdadism,” as the visual aspect of the abstract art juxtaposed with the literary aspect of the written commentary are viewed as one complete work-of-art. Because it directly confronted social issues at a time when it was not fashionable, Verdadism has been called the first socially conscious art style of the 21st century. In 1999, Soraida wrote a book describing her art and philosophy, “Soraida’s Verdadism: The Intellectual Voice of a Puerto Rican Woman on Canvas; Unique, Controversial Images and Style.”
		To view more art, or for additional information, please visit www.latinoartcollector.com Interested parties should contact Victor Edgar Rivera via email: EriveraV@aol.com.

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