This document is an interview of the Puerto Rican artist, Marcos Irizarry, by Jacqueline Biaggi in which the artist provides important facts about his life, his studies and his exhibitions. Irizarry was a printmaker who participated in various international exhibitions and biennials and served on the selection jury for some of these. In addition, the artist gives his opinion about printmaking in Puerto Rico and comments on the debate between figurative and abstract painting. He also describes his creative process and talks about his [preparatory] sketches. The interview concluded with the subject of Irizarry’s return to Puerto Rico.

This interview was done by Jacqueline Biaggi in the course of her research related to curating the retrospective exhibition, Marcos Irizarry, 26 años de obra sobre papel 1960-1986 [Marcos Irizarry, 26 Years of Work on Paper]. This show was organized by [and held at] el Museo de la Universidad de Puerto Rico [the Museum of the University of Puerto Rico], Río Piedras Campus from March 6 to April 30, 1987.Marcos Irizarry (Mayagüez, 1936 – San Juan, 1995) was well known for his etchings, though, in his latter years, he turned to painting.  He began his studies at the Universidad de Puerto Rico; then, in 1957, he moved to Madrid, Spain. In 1958, he began studying at la Escuela Central de Bellas Artes de San Fernando [the San Fernando Central School of Fine Arts]. He was given the prize at the Primera Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano [First San Juan Biennial of Latin American Graphic Art] in 1970. In 1983, an exhibition was dedicated to him: Exposición homenaje con motivo de la VI Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano [Homage Exhibition linked to the Sixth San Juan Biennial of Latin American Graphic Art], at the Museo del Grabado Latinoamericano [Museum of Latin American Graphic Art]. Irizarry was artist in residence at the Mayaguez University Campus of the Universidad de Puerto Rico.