Osvaldo Budet
Provenance
Artwork acquired in 2016.
This work plays with reality. In 2008, Barack Obama became the forty-fourth elected president of the United States. His election was an unprecedented electoral triumph, making him the first African American president of the nation. Budet delves into the events through photography, not only as a witness but also as a participant in the celebration. His photograph evokes an atmosphere similar to film footage or a paparazzi shot seeking an exclusive news story. The image, centered with black borders, accentuates these cinematic characteristics. The work can also be seen as a critique of the cultural assimilation of Puerto Ricans into American political culture, ironically contrasting the fact that residents of Puerto Rico do not have the right to vote for any candidate in U.S. elections.