Dr. Concha Meléndez (Caguas, 1896–San Juan, 1983) established the Spanish-American literature department at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, which she directed for thirty years. During the 1930s she wrote a number of essays that were published in literary magazines and the press, and were used as the basis for her lectures.
Known as “Walt,” Dehner (Buffalo, NY, 1898 – California 1955) was not only an art educator in Puerto Rico from 1929 to 1946, but also a painter, lithographer, and photographer. Aware of the limitations of the island’s artistic milieu, he did what he could to encourage and support Puerto Rican artists. An important aspect of his work in education was organizing exhibitions, including Primera y segunda exhibición independiente de arte e historia (First and Second Exhibition of Art and History, 1929–1931); Exposición de grabados y litografías (Exhibition of Prints and Lithographs, 1930–31); Progressive Conservative Show (1931); Exposición de arte americano en blanco y negro (Exhibition of American Art in Black and White, 1932); Tercera exhibición de arte puertorriqueño (Third Exhibition of Puerto Rican Art, 1933); and Exposición de arte contemporáneo de México (Exhibition of Contemporary Art from Mexico, 1935).
This is an important document, in that it provides insights into an early, relatively unexamined period of Puerto Rican art.