Arecibo & Puerto Rico's Mountain Landscape
Facing the Giant
Puerto Rico’s sweeping green hills and mountains roll gracefully across the landscape, their lush slopes and vibrant vegetation creating a serene rhythm that stretches from valley to horizon.
Facing the Giant
Puerto Rico’s sweeping green hills and mountains roll gracefully across the landscape, their lush slopes and vibrant vegetation creating a serene rhythm that stretches from valley to horizon.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Framed by natural ridges and sky, the view of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, stretches across its valley, revealing a blend of lush greenery, sparkling waters, and the quiet rhythm of island life.
About the Artists
Ben Morales Correa
Ben Morales-Correa is a Puerto Rican fine artist whose work spans both abstract and figurative painting. He began developing his artistic practice at an early age under the guidance of his father, a master graphic artist, illustrator, and printer. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Morales-Correa moved to San Francisco, where he pursued studies in fine arts and communications while also participating in public mural projects and working in graphic design studios. In 1982, he received a summer scholarship from the San Francisco Academy of Arts, and in 1996 he was awarded First Prize in Photography by Archaeology Magazine in New York. In 1992, Morales-Correa founded the atelier Mythos, where he developed innovative techniques for creating replicas inspired by ancient Egyptian paintings. His works have been collected internationally throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Alongside his studio practice, he has also served as a painting instructor for several institutions in Puerto Rico, including the Escuela de Artes Plásticas, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. His work continues to reflect a deep connection to history, culture, landscape, and visual storytelling.
Orlando Mergal
Orlando Mergal is a landscape and fine art photographer based in Puerto Rico whose work captures the island’s rich natural beauty, including Old San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest, tropical beaches, and lush Caribbean landscapes. Deeply inspired by his surroundings, his photography reflects a passion for documenting the atmosphere, color, and spirit of Puerto Rico through thoughtful composition and light. A lifelong learner and dedicated image-maker, he discovered his passion for photography in 1984 after studying through the New York Institute of Photography. Since then, he has continued to refine his craft, often exploring the island with cameras in hand in pursuit of meaningful and visually striking moments that celebrate the beauty of everyday life and nature.
Arecibo & Puerto Rico's Mountain Landscape
Arecibo sits along Puerto Rico's northern coast, backed by a sweeping karst landscape of dramatic limestone mogotes — rounded, forest-covered hills that rise from fertile valleys and stretch toward the island's mountainous interior. This region, known as the island's heartland, blends lush agricultural plains, sparkling rivers, and verdant ridgelines into a panoramic tableau of natural Puerto Rico, celebrated for both its scenic beauty and its world-famous Arecibo Observatory site.
To visit this location or schedule a tour please stop by Rio Mar's concierge desk in the lobby.