Muñeca Arthouse is closing after three years

Muñeca Arthouse is closing after three years of experimenting with culture and arts on Long Island. For their last exhibition, Ratgrrl’s passion for hip-hop is acknowledged in “Muñeca is Dead.”

The “For the Love of Hip-Hop” show will have work from artists who have shown internationally and who have met some of the iconic subjects of their work.

Artists include: Peter Paid Tobal, Andy Katz, Escribosketch, Milks0p, Ratgrrl, Diego Garcia, Michael Mastermaker, Peter Grass, Edward Pabon, and graffiti artists Tag, Seen, Reker, Dash, Beau and Avist.

Jessie Valentin (Ratgrrl), owner of Muñeca, fell in love with hip-hop as a child. Her older brother listened to the early hip-hop, and she would listen to his records and mixtapes of new artists. Her musical formative years were during the Golden Age of hip-hop (mid-‘80s to mid-‘90s) with artists like ATCQ, Beasties, De La Soul and the Native Tongues crew, 3rd Bass, Eric B and Rakim, EPMD, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Slick Rick, BDP, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Pharcyde, and WU Tang.

“Yo! MTV Raps” was also a favorite.

As she has aged, she leans toward underground hip-hop and “backpack” artists. Her art is mixed and sampled like her favorite rappers.

Creating something new from the chaos and boom bap, so much of the culture slipped into her suburban mind.

Weekly visits to the Bronx to see family helped mold her style.