Casa Silvana: A Cultural Beacon for Afro Descendant Art in Puerto Rico
August 6, 2025
written by CC Mag
Located in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Casa Silvana is an Afrocultural space dedicated to the preservation, promotion and celebration of African descended art. Directed by artist and curator Edwin Velázquez Collazo, Casa Silvana is home to one of the most significant and diverse collections of Afro-descendant artwork in the Caribbean. It is home to 300 objects and artworks representing Afro Puerto Rican culture and the broader African diaspora.
A Museum Without Walls
While Puerto Rico still lacks a formal museum dedicated to Afro-descendant heritage, Casa Silvana fills this void with vision and dedication. The institution’s growing collection provides a powerful lens into Black history, resistance, beauty and identity—both on the island and beyond.
Signature Collections
Afro-Puerto Rican Art Collection: Featuring 70 works by more than 40 contemporary artists from Puerto Rico and its diaspora, this collection includes drawings, engravings, photography, pastels, acrylics, watercolors, silkscreens and more—focusing on small-format pieces that spotlight Black expression and heritage.
Afro Philatelic Collection: A unique archive of over 200 postage stamps from over 30 African nations, celebrating Afro hair and cultural pride—some dating back over a century.
19th Century Graphic Collection: Comprising over 60 historical engravings, lithographs, and woodcuts, this section documents the portrayal of enslaved Africans and the brutal realities of slavery from the 1800s.
Afro Comb Collection: With 30+ wooden, metal, and plastic Afro combs, this collection bridges African tribal traditions and the "Black is Beautiful" and "Black Power" movements of the 1960s–70s.
African Postcard Collection: Over 50 postcards (circa 1900–1950) offering a complex view of Black identity, often through the lens of colonial-era exoticism—yet reclaiming beauty and cultural richness.
Afro-Puerto Rican Postcard Collection: A rare set of more than 20 historic postcards depicting Afro-Puerto Ricans from the early 1900s, capturing the presence and resilience of Black communities on the island.
Photo courtesy of Casa Silvana
Photo courtesy of Casa Silvana
Upcoming Exhibitions
From 2026 to 2029, Casa Silvana will exhibit these collections both physically and digitally, offering the public an immersive experience in Afro-descendant art and history. Currently, the institution is cataloging and inventorying its archive in preparation for this long-term exhibition series.
Supported by Visionaries
Casa Silvana’s groundbreaking work is made possible with support from the Maniobra Program of the Centro de Economía Creativa (CEC) and the Mellon Foundation, underlining the cultural and historical importance of this initiative.
Contact & Social Media
Camino Los Marcano, Barrio Mambiche Prieto, Humacao, Puerto Rico
HC 3 BOX 6300, Humacao, PR 00791-9525
casasilvanapr@gmail.com
(787) 240-4603 / (787) 285-6053
Casa Silvana Blog
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