Diosas / Goddesses

In 2005, a mosaic artist embarked on a project to exalt the beauty and strength of women through twenty vibrant mosaics inspired by the lush landscapes of Puerto Rico. But during the three years of intensive work, a chilling realization emerged: the rising tide of violence against women.

By September 2007, as the mosaics neared completion, the number of women tragically killed by their partners in Puerto Rico almost equaled the number of artworks. The artist’s exhibition, ‘Virgins,’ became a haunting tribute to the twenty women whose lives were lost that year, their names etched into the pages of this book.

This powerful collection serves as a powerful homage to all victims of gender violence past, present, and future, and a desperate plea to end this devastating epidemic. Each mosaic is a testament to the lives stolen, their beauty and spirit forever immortalized in vibrant tile.

Eddie was born in Puerto Rico on 13 March 1950. At an early age, he showed signs of great interest in crafts and writing. Although he had no problem developing his talents as a stained-glass artist, a chemical imbalance in his brain stunted his growth as a writer. At age 16, he wrote his last poems and quit writing. At the age of 28, he began to flourish as a glass artist and after 46 years of hard work, he is recognised as Puerto Rico’s foremost stained-glass and mosaic artist. In 2002, his brain’s chemical imbalance was diagnosed and medication was used to correct it (serotonin inhibitor) and since then he has regained his talking and writing skills and is now a prolific writer/artist having published two poetry books, three art books and two novels.