Self-portrait of a young jíbaro is a photograph taken by mother during my school’s Christmas party, on December 20, 1996. As part of the festivities, the young students were dressed to represent different characters within the folklore of Christmas in Puerto Rico. I was dressed as jíbaro, a term referring to the countryside people on the island who farm and labor in the land. This image of the jíbaro was cemented during the proliferation of photography in Puerto Rico during the 19th century, often documented by US or European photographers. It has since become an iconic reflection of the Puerto Rican people.
Self-portrait of a young jíbaro (collaboration with Doris Bonilla Ramos), 1996/2021
Analog photography
11 x 14 in (Framed)
Photo by John Groo
Kevin Quiles Bonilla 