Memoria & Esperanza de una Puertorriqueña
El juego
2024
Acrylic on Canvas
24X36
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A common Puerto Rican pastime, dominoes take on a deeper significance in this artwork, symbolizing the island’s political state. Suspended in midair—uncertain whether they are falling onto the table or drifting away—the dominoes reflect the tense political reality of Puerto Rico, where the fate of its people often feels like a game played by politicians. Hernández positions the viewer as an unwilling participant, immersed in a game where they have no control over the pieces or the unfolding outcome, echoing the powerlessness many feel in the face of political maneuvering.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
The Grass Isn’t Greener on the Other Side (Self-portrait)
2024
Acrylic on Canvas
48X60
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Hernández appropriates Frida Kahlo’s (Mexican, 1907-1954) iconic Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States (1932) to channel her own feelings of the tension between a her native country and a new place. In her version, Hernández replaces the Aztec artifacts in Kahlo’s self-portrait with Taino cemis and a duho, honoring the indigenous islanders of Puerto Rico. El San Castillo Felipe del Morro takes the place of the structure resembling the Main Temple Area at Tenochtitlan, adding a layer of commentary on Puerto Rico’s colonial history. The roots of native Puerto Rican flora—except for the orchids, which Hernández explains are references to her mother and aunt—intertwine with the cables of the machine-led United States. Hernández further personalizes the work by incorporating specific buildings from Philadelphia, weaving in her own experiences of displacement and identity since moving to the city.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
La mesa de Abu
2024
Ceramic amarillitos, pasteles, empanadilla, aguacates
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“The Table of My Grandmother” is an installation that transports both the artist and the audience to a place of warmth and familiarity. The ceramic food, representing a traditional Puerto Rican meal, evokes the imagined flavors and aromas of a home-cooked feast. Through carefully curated imagery, the piece narrates the artist’s family history—tracing her father and his siblings’ escape from Castro’s Cuba, as well as her maternal lineage, which journeyed from Rhode Island to Puerto Rico, where her grandmother fell in love with a young Puerto Rican from Caguas. The artist hopes that “anyone who views it can imagine their own version of this table,” finding personal connections within its story of migration, love, and belonging.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Dale gracias a LUMA
2024
Acrylic on Canvas
16X20
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Puerto Rico’s ongoing struggle with power outages is the central focus of this installation, which not only brings attention to the aftermath of this infrastructural crisis but forces the viewer to experience it firsthand to understand the story within. Inspired by the story of a local, Hernández depicts a mother and her daughter discarding food that has spoiled due to the repeated outages. What’s left unsaid are the unspoken questions this anonymous mother grapples with, ones that challenge her deep love for her country: Do I really want to keep living here, and should I raise my daughter in these conditions?
Although the artist titles the piece “Give Thanks to LUMA”, she clarifies that it is not just a critique of Luma, the electrical provider on the island, but rather a commentary on everything that has led to this moment. The title serves as a broader reflection on the systemic issues, political decisions, and historical events that have shaped Puerto Rico’s current state, emphasizing the complex forces at play beyond any single entity.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
9 a 5
2024
Acrylic on Canvas
24X36
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Hernández channels her own experience of culture shock upon moving to Philadelphia for her undergraduate studies by placing a vivid, larger-than-life Vejigante in the midst of Suburban Station. Through her dynamic use of color, she captures the vibrancy of Puerto Rican landscapes and culture, creating a stark contrast against the muted tones of the station’s surroundings. The Vejigante, both active and confrontational, disrupts the monotonous flow of commuters—figures consumed by routine, moving in isolation despite sharing the same space. Each person exists in transit, caught between the demands of a 9-to-5 grind, yet the Vejigante demands attention, an unapologetic symbol of cultural presence in an environment of anonymity.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Bodegón de un Jíbaro
2024
Acrylic on Canvas
16X20
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This still life celebrates the jíbaro and Puerto Rican agriculture, while also serving as a powerful symbol of the island’s resilience. The threatening machete, pointed toward the viewer, represents the strength Puerto Ricans have demonstrated throughout history and continue to exhibit. It’s a reminder of their enduring fight for survival, identity, and autonomy in the face of challenges.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Cristo y personificación del pueblo
2025
Café La Llave , india ink and acrylic on paper
14x17
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Hernández takes Benito Martínez’s (Bad Bunny) song LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAiii and recontextualizes it within the format of a medieval manuscript. By blending modern pop culture with the ancient form of manuscript illumination, she comments on the timeless nature of storytelling. In the illumination, Christ is depicted holding a jíbaro, personifying the Puerto Rican people, symbolizing resilience and the island’s culture. The lines featured from the song address themes of loss, resistance, and the fight to protect one’s identity, resonating deeply within the context of Puerto Rican history. Hernández began her series months before Bad Bunny’s latest album, and hearing him explore similar themes in his art inspired her to continue. His inclusion in this piece emphasizes that these struggles are not just personal but shared. The fusion of past and present—both the medieval manuscript and the modern song—challenges the viewer to reconsider how cultural narratives evolve and persist, highlighting how the struggles and stories of the Puerto Rican people continue across generations, as many before them have also done.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Voces puertorriqueñas
2025
Digital Media
11x17
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Inspired by Marcel Duchamp (French, 1887-1968) and the Ready-Made art movement, Hernández appropriates everyday objects to craft a sculpture that critiques the state of Puerto Rico’s educational system. By transforming these objects into art, she challenges the viewer to reconsider their role in the larger conversation about education, highlighting the disconnect between the system’s ideals and its reality. The sculpture becomes both a symbol of the deterioration within the system and a call to action for change.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Un sistema en deterioro
2024-25
Ready-made
(Pupitre, La Carreta, A Lesson Before Dying, La Vida es un Sueño, plantas) 20,1/2x31x31
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Inspired by Industrial Revolution-era advertisments, the artwork incorporates the voices of other Puerto Ricans in the Saint Joseph’s University community. The featured phrases come directly from interviews and a survey she conducted, where her peers shared their reasons for studying in the U.S. and their feelings about the experience. Beyond addressing issues in higher education, the piece serves as a way to include those to whom Eva has dedicated this exhibition. She also paints herself into the composition, holding an artwork from the series.
Featured in Light and Shadow Exhibition, Frances M. Maguire Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
My series titled “Memoria y Esperanza de una Puertorriqueña” seeks to capture the spirit and resilience of Puerto Rico, illuminating the challenges and deep cultural pride that bind us as a people. For too long, government neglect and broken promises have shaped our reality—through power failures, water shortages, and a deteriorating infrastructure that limits opportunities. My work addresses these systemic issues, not merely as a critique, but as a voice for the enduring hardships Puerto Ricans face daily.
Using symbols as simple as a worn school desk, I reflect the erosion of an educational system that should empower our youth but instead leaves them unprepared, their potential neglected. This reality has driven many Puerto Ricans to leave their beloved island, as I once did, seeking opportunities that we hope might someday lead us home. My paintings channel both the sorrow of that departure and a deep yearning to return, rooted in the pride of our shared history and culture.
Throughout the series, I depict Puerto Rican history and traditions through the lens of past artistic movements and figures. By referencing formats like medieval manuscripts and drawing inspiration from artists such as Duchamp and Kahlo, I create a dialogue between Puerto Rican identity and broader art historical lineages. This underlying thread connects my work to those who came before me—creators who have shaped my perspective as both an artist and art historian.
Through vibrant imagery, sounds, and even flavors, my art invites audiences into the soul of Puerto Rican life. I want them to feel the rhythms of our music, the warmth of our food, and the deep familial bonds that define our community. For my fellow Boricuas, I hope these works evoke the comfort of a grandparent’s home—a place where we are seen, understood, and celebrated.
We are the descendants of the cane fields, of the Taínos, of the jíbaro. Through this series, I honor our ancestors and bring attention to the struggles we continue to face, highlighting the resilience that lies at the heart of our identity. My art is a tribute to our heritage, our spirit, and the dream of a better future.
— Eva
Installation View
