Cerquita

Cerquita [“Close by”] depicts a house in Río Piedras, the town where Williams’ mother grew up and a place deeply connected to her family’s history in Puerto Rico. Its architecture is characteristic of the neighborhood and immediately familiar to the artist.

The title speaks to the feeling of proximity, of knowing that when Williams and her family passed this house, they were close to loved ones. The house becomes more than a structure. It is a marker of belonging, signaling that home is just around the corner. Through painting it, Williams returns to that feeling of nearness, using memory and place to close the physical distance between herself and Puerto Rico.

Cerquita reflects on the small landmarks that become embedded in our understanding of home and how an ordinary place can hold an intimate sense of arrival.