Resolution honoring Rafael Villamil for his outstanding work and advocacy regarding art in various forms, representing his childhood in Santurce, Puerto Rico and his adopted hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he lives and continues this important work around the importance of Latino art.

WHEREAS, A self-taught artist who moved to Philadelphia in 1963 to work with Louis I Kahn, Rafael Villamil is fascinated by spatial encounters and the connections between form and structure; and

WHEREAS, Paradise Has No Memory was the first major exhibition at Taller Puertorriqueño and centers on his artwork from 1957 to 2013. He gives thought upon his experiences, aspirations, lost loves, mortality, and exploration of his humanity in his work. He is sensitive to the discordant relationship the people of his island nation have with the mainland; and

WHEREAS, Art from the island of Puerto Rico reflects its Caribbean culture as well as their diverse and traditional history that ranges from Old World masters to the contemporary mixed media work; and

WHEREAS, Villamil’s paintings are spontaneous, drawing from an overactive and sensitive mind and focusing on meditations on balance, form, color, and thought. Each mark is intentional and therefore has a sense of being; and

WHEREAS, All of his paintings and constructions are dotted with statements and quotes as well as declarations and messages, and are expressions of reason from the edge of the frame to the plexiglass that implicates the viewer in its mirrored reflections; and

WHEREAS, His work stands out as a testament to his honesty and his vision and calls attention to his creation of a body of work that is both impressive and challenging and deserving of our attention; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT BY VIRTUE OF THIS RESOLUTION, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, hereby honors Rafael Villamil for his outstanding work. We in this Council extend the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.

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