Hispanic Heritage Month: Puerto Rican artist shares Caribbean culture through paintings
LOS ANGELES - Southern California has long been a hub for creativity and innovation, and the Los Angeles art scene is no exception.
"L.A. really places a lot more value on the arts with all the street art opportunities and mural opportunities," said local artist Lena Del Sol Langaigne.
"I remember being a little girl and we’d go to all these different Caribbean islands," she said. Langaigne recalls the earliest moments that sparked her passion for tropical colors and a desire to explore her Hispanic heritage. "I remember being so enthralled at how vibrant it is in terms of the fruits, the coconut trees and the ocean."
The self-taught artist moved to Los Angeles from Queens, New York in 2017 with her teenage son and a dream of owning her own art studio and community space.
"Like many people here in L.A., I moved here due to displacement because of increased housing in New York. I figured why not take a leap of faith and trust God," said Langaigne.
The single mother started selling her oil paintings through her website and has been able to take advantage of public street art opportunities across the Southland. Through her paintings, Langaigne highlights the layered culture of her own Puerto Rican heritage.
"There are a lot of Puerto Ricans who are of African descent who don’t get as much visibility as they should. Then you have the European and Spaniard element and of course the indigenous Taíno, they were the first people there," she said.
"So, what I try to do is highlight those elements because they are so often overlooked," she explained. "Moving all the way to L.A. my art career has taken off."
One of Lena’s murals can be seen in the patio space of Mofongos Restaurant in North Hollywood.
"We’ve been in Los Angeles 14 years," said owner Augusto Coen. Since 2009, Mofongos has been one of Southern California’s only restaurants offering the unique blend of native Taíno, Spanish, and African flavors that define traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.
"I was surprised there were a lot of Puerto Ricans here. Unlike New York and other cities, they’re not in any concentrated area," said Langaigne. "My number one goal and everything I’m working for is to not only have a studio space but also a storefront and community space where all Caribbeans can come celebrate our cultures together."
"Culture is what brings people together. It promotes a sense of belonging in people and every human being has the desire to belong to something. Something bigger than themselves," she added.