Joseph Rodriguez

Artist Statement

PUERTO RICO has been dealing with economic troubles for a long time, especially since it slipped into a recession in 2006, and the people have faced

these hardships with a mix of optimism and frustration. But recently the situation has worsened. The unemployment rate, as of June 2017, was 12.6 percent, the commonwealth’s debt is soaring and the cost of living is crushing, with citizens and businesses trying to endure high water, electricity and tax bills. On top of that, after much speculation about the island’s ability to pay its creditors, the government recently defaulted on a $58 million bond payment in 2017.

The middle class has been hit hard. While thousands flock to the mainland in search of employment opportunities, some are reluctant to leave everything behind. I have a special interest in the island. Being a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, I have documented the lives of families in conflict in Harlem, Los Angeles and Mexico City, to name a few places, but never, before now, in Puerto Rico, the place of my ancestors.

The catastrophic effects of Hurricane Maria, which have arguably been exacerbated by the slow and indifferent response of the federal government, left the island and its residents battered yet defiant. They are facing a years long process of recovery.

As a documentary photographer, I began this long-term project in 2014, I have made several trips to Puerto Rico and have been documenting the people and their economic situations, some of these stories have been published in the New York Times. 

Joseph Rodriguez

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