Acupuncturists Without Borders Conduct Clinic in Ponce, Puerto Rico
By Ramón Serrano —
Diógenes Ballester is one of Puerto Rico's hidden treasures. His paintings have graced the walls of the most prestigious art galleries in the world. From Paris to Japan, from Bulgaria to Brazil he has raised the Puerto Rican flag with accompanying accolades and awards. He is presently the Artist in Residence in Ponce's famed Museum of Art. I first met Diógenes in the early eighties when i was learning acupuncture. I was called by a friend who told me that one of our great artists was suffering from intense pain and could not get up out of bed. I had never heard of Diógenes but was convinced to go to his aid. When I arrived at his house/gallery in El Barrio I immediately informed him that I was not qualified to treat his condition. He insisted that I proceed. When I returned the following week he was walking around pain free. No one was more surprised than I. We would not see each other again for another 35 years. When we finally reunited he told me that the treatment had changed his life. He had to find out what Chinese Medicine and Philosophy were all about. He traveled to the Far East, changed his diet and now is an adept of Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
Diógenes is a native of the community known as La Playa de Ponce, a community known for its art and literary history. It is also the birthplace of such radical luminaries as Juan Antonio Corretjer and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos. It is here where The Nationalist Party was born. In fact the street where we held the clinic is called El Callejon del Tiro (Shot Alley) because it is where The Nationalists would exercise their target practice in preparation for the armed struggle to free Puerto Rico from U.S. Imperialism.
When I contacted Diógenes to set up the clinic I knew that he was in the middle of an ambitious project to convert this large multi columned structure into a community art space. Although the space is still under construction, the plan is to hold art classes for the children in the community and seminars on Holistic Healing. Diógenes lives in this house with his wife, the poet Mary Boncher. The house is now called La Casa de Arte y Cultura. Diógenes used his name recognition via a radio interview to announce Acupuncturists Without Borders' (AWB) clinic. Over fifty people showed up to be treated.
Ponce is to Puerto Rico what Atlanta is to the United States. It is the Capital of the south, complete with its own particular art history and its own musical folklore. It boasts a population of approximately 150,000. Ponceños are a proud bunch. When the earthquake hit on January 7th it destroyed many of the town's historic monuments. Among those was El Museo de La Masacre de Ponce where 19 innocent people were gunned down during a peaceful demonstration by island police in 1937. As elsewhere through the south of the Island, the ground continues to shake. People are only now tentatively returning to their homes. There is still much work for AWB to do to help this proud city return to normal.
Captions:
Photo #1: Diogenes Ballester at the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico, 2008. Photo courtesy of www.diogenes-ballester.com
Photo #2: AWB Clinic administering to patients in Ponce. Photo by Ramón Serrano.
Ramón Serrano - pegao618@aol.com
Diógenes is a native of the community known as La Playa de Ponce, a community known for its art and literary history. It is also the birthplace of such radical luminaries as Juan Antonio Corretjer and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos. It is here where The Nationalist Party was born. In fact the street where we held the clinic is called El Callejon del Tiro (Shot Alley) because it is where The Nationalists would exercise their target practice in preparation for the armed struggle to free Puerto Rico from U.S. Imperialism.
When I contacted Diógenes to set up the clinic I knew that he was in the middle of an ambitious project to convert this large multi columned structure into a community art space. Although the space is still under construction, the plan is to hold art classes for the children in the community and seminars on Holistic Healing. Diógenes lives in this house with his wife, the poet Mary Boncher. The house is now called La Casa de Arte y Cultura. Diógenes used his name recognition via a radio interview to announce Acupuncturists Without Borders' (AWB) clinic. Over fifty people showed up to be treated.
Ponce is to Puerto Rico what Atlanta is to the United States. It is the Capital of the south, complete with its own particular art history and its own musical folklore. It boasts a population of approximately 150,000. Ponceños are a proud bunch. When the earthquake hit on January 7th it destroyed many of the town's historic monuments. Among those was El Museo de La Masacre de Ponce where 19 innocent people were gunned down during a peaceful demonstration by island police in 1937. As elsewhere through the south of the Island, the ground continues to shake. People are only now tentatively returning to their homes. There is still much work for AWB to do to help this proud city return to normal.
Captions:
Photo #1: Diogenes Ballester at the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico, 2008. Photo courtesy of www.diogenes-ballester.com
Photo #2: AWB Clinic administering to patients in Ponce. Photo by Ramón Serrano.
Ramón Serrano - pegao618@aol.com
