Pa-lan-te

Miguel Luciano, Pa-lan-te, 2017, neon, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by Marianna and Juan A. Sabater, 2020.25.2, © 2017, Miguel Luciano. photo: Jason Wyche
Miguel Luciano, Pa-lan-te, 2017, neon, overall: 120 × 24 in. (304.8 × 61 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by Marianna and Juan A. Sabater, 2020.25.2, © 2017, Miguel Luciano. photo: Jason Wyche

Artwork Details

Title
Pa-lan-te
Artist
Date
2017
Location
Dimensions
overall: 120 × 24 in. (304.8 × 61 cm)
Copyright
© 2017, Miguel Luciano. photo: Jason Wyche
Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by Marianna and Juan A. Sabater
Mediums
Mediums Description
neon
Classifications
Subjects
  • Object — letter
Object Number
2020.25.2
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2020.25.2

Artwork Description

Two cherry-red Schwinn bicycles, decked out with horns and American and Puerto Rican flags, are joined to form one three-wheeled, double-headed creature.

The word pa'lante, Spanish slang meaning "forward," glows above. The term became famous as the name of a civil rights newspaper in Puerto Rico in the 1960s. In following years, it has evoked Puerto Rican independence and statehood and become a mindset of strength and resilience in the face of hurricanes and other hardships.

Paired with a bicycle that can go in two directions at once--and so goes nowhere--the word also takes on an ironic meaning. Luciano's sculpture brims with Puerto Rican pride while acknowledging the difficulties that hinder the island's forward motion.

Works by this artist (6 items)

View all artworks
Brice Marden, #4, from the Untitled Press Series, 1972, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the C.K. Williams Foundation and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2008.9.4
#4, from the Untitled Press Series
Artist
Date1972
lithograph on paper
Not on view
Brice Marden, #6, from the Untitled Press Series, 1972, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the C.K. Williams Foundation and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2008.9.6
#6, from the Untitled Press Series
Artist
Date1972
lithograph on paper
Not on view
Brice Marden, #2, from the Untitled Press Series, 1972, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the C.K. Williams Foundation and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2008.9.2
#2, from the Untitled Press Series
Artist
Date1972
lithograph on paper
Not on view
Brice Marden, #3, from the Untitled Press Series, 1972, lithograph on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the C.K. Williams Foundation and the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 2008.9.3
#3, from the Untitled Press Series
Artist
Date1972
lithograph on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Artist
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Artist
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Artist
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Image Not Available
Les Quais de la Seine a Paris
Artist
Date1917
hand-colored etching on postcard
Not on view