The muralist from Ponce Rafael Enrique Vega, better known as Rafique, continues to draw attention with his art. This time, the young artist stood out with a mural featured in Rauw Alejandro's promotional video, which also included artists such as Amaury Nolasco, René Monclova and Magali Carrasquillo, to announce his "Cosa Nuestra World Tour" in 2025.
The painting measures 12 by 8 feet and shows Rauw Alejandro in a close-up profile, wearing a hat and carrying an aesthetic gangster look also associated with celebrated Puerto Rican salsa musicians such as Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe, according to a press release. The reds and yellows characteristic of Rafique's work stand out, and the mural incorporates the Taíno patterns that also distinguish the artist's pieces.
"I feel very proud and happy to have the opportunity to work with Rauw Alejandro and to have him and his team take an interest in my art," Rafique said. The artist revealed that it was Rauw himself who requested the inclusion of the indigenous patterns in the mural.
In an earlier interview with Platea, on the podcast Punto Aparte, Rafique highlighted the importance of building connections, especially for a young person starting out in the world of art and muralism. The Ponce native, at just 25 years old, has collaborated with artists such as Juan Salgado, David Zayas and Bik-Ismo, and has had the opportunity to create work for artists including Daddy Yankee.
The artist said he spent an entire weekend, from Nov. 1 to 3, painting nonstop to complete the commission.
Rafique, the creator of the largest mural in Puerto Rico and a featured participant in mural festivals such as “Santurce es Ley” and “Color Caribe”, said that none of his works had ever before been used in a filming.
"I think this is going to open a lot of doors for me. It's an honor to be part of it. Millions of people are seeing this. It's not a small thing. It's the mural that announces Rauw Alejandro's tour. It's something big."
-Rafique, muralist
The promotional video, in which the mural can be seen, was filmed in the plaza of Vega Baja and is now available on all of the urban musician's social media channels. This collaboration not only highlights Rafique's artistic talent but also projects his work to an international audience, establishing him as a key figure in the Caribbean mural scene. "All of this is motivation to keep working and never let up never," Rafique concluded.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
