Muñecas Sin Rostro (2019–2024)
Between 2022 and 2024, I worked as an Arts Engagement consultant with Punto Urban Art Museum (PUAM), the public art program within North Shore Community Development Coalition (North Shore CDC) in Salem, MA. In this role, I developed and supported various creative placemaking projects alongside PUAM's Design and Placemaking Project Manager.
The Muñecas Sin Rostro or "Faceless Doll" project began during my two-year Enterprise Rose Fellowship with North Shore CDC between 2019–2021. Early on, I cold emailed Salem’s National Park Service (NPS), wondering how our two organizations’ resources and proximity could spark a collaboration. After a few site visits, multiple pandemic-anxious yet joyful Zoom calls, and careful idea sowing across North Shore CDC staff over a year and a half, I facilitated a joint Latino Heritage Internship program between PUAM and NPS.
This kickstarted a multi-year partnership and exhibit series centering traditional Muñecas Sin Rostro, a traditional faceless doll popular in the Caribbean islands. PUAM wanted to explore the dolls as a canvas to share empowering stores of women who've helped shape the lives of local residents. I co-led two interns to design the Muñecas Sin Rostro paper doll workshop series across Salem, inviting Salem residents to design 8” tall versions of the faceless dolls. The following year, I led a Request for Proposals (RFP) to curate the first joint exhibit between North Shore CDC and Salem National Park Service site featuring 22 locally made paper muñecas.
With some extra hours, I also designed two coloring pages featuring two traditional muñecas sin rostros. We would give these out to families for free through North Shore CDC's public service programs.
Photo by North Shore CDC. Sculpture painting by Sheila Farren Billings.
In 2024 I returned to design a second RFP that invited New England-based public artists to paint 12-foot tall, fiberglass sculpture versions of the Muñecas Sin Rostro inspired by the community-made paper dolls from 2021–2023. I helped select artists and guide each of their design processes to develop their final muñeca
The painted sculptures will be on view at Palmer Cove Park in Salem, MA for many years to come. See the final painted sculptures on PUAM's website.