#art, (Esp – Eng) – Critico por excelencia – Critic per excellence…

(Reyner Banham – Foto/Photo National Portrait Gallery)

Inglés, nació en 1922, teorista y critico de arquitectura, murió en Londres en 1988… Muy conocido por dos libros que escribió: Theory and Design in the First Machine Age (1960) y el otro en 1971, Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies. En este ultimo hace un análisis de la ciudad de Los Angeles y la identifica dividiéndola en cuatro modelos ecológicos: Surfurbia, las estribaciones, los llanos de Id, y la Autopía… Visitaba frecuentemente EEUU hasta que se trasladó a ese país en 1976… Comenzó sus estudios es su ciudad natal de Norwich y en 1949 ingresó en el Courtauld Institute of Art de Londres con profesores muy renombrados como Anthony Blunt, Sigfried Giedion y Nikolaus Pevsne… Comenzó de escritor con el Architectural Review en 1952… Banham fue profesor de la Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London de 1964 al 1976 y en la State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo de 1976 a 1980) y durante la década de los 1980 en la University of California, Santa Cruz… Reconociendo que había que experimentar cada ciudad de la manera mas idónea y haciendo lo que mas la caracteriza, aprendió a conducir y sacó su permiso para conocer la originalidad de Los Angeles y así lo escribió en su libro sobre esa ciudad… Le hicieron un documental corto titulado Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles (1972) dirigido por Julian Cooper… Le habían asignado una catedra en la Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, pero murió antes de llegar a ejercer en ella… Creo que para todo artista, arquitecto, o escritor, le seria interesante y útil conocer la historia de un hombre tan reconocido y renombrado como Reyner Banham. Os convido a ahondar mas en su obra y su vida…

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Reyner Banham was an English architectural theorist and critic. He was born in 1922 and passed away in London in 1988. Banham is well-known for two books he wrote: «Theory and Design in the First Machine Age» (1960) and «Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies» (1971). In the latter, he analysed the city of Los Angeles and identified it with four ecological models: Surfurbia, The Foothills, The Plains of Id, and Autopia... Banham frequently visited the United States until he moved there in 1976. He began his studies in his hometown of Norwich and in 1949, he enrolled in the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, where he studied under renowned professors such as Anthony Blunt, Sigfried Giedion, and Nikolaus Pevsner. He began his writing career with the Architectural Review in 1952... From 1964 to 1976, Banham served as a professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, and from 1976 to 1980, he taught at the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo. In the 1980s, he taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Recognizing the need to experience each city in its most authentic way, Banham learned to drive and obtained a driver’s license to get to know Los Angeles in its original, which he wrote about in his book about the city… A short documentary titled «Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles» (1972), directed by Julian Cooper, was made about him. Although he had been appointed a professorship at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, he passed away before he could take up the position. Reyner Banham’s life and work are of great interest and value to artists, architects, and writers. I invite you to delve deeper into his oeuvre and his life.

GRACIAS – CHEERS – GRACIAS – CHEERS – GRACIAS – CHEERS – GRACIAS

#music, Es sábado y eso dice ¡Música! – It’s Saturday and That Means Music!

(All About Jazz)

Creo que no os lo imaginabais, pero aquí os traigo otra belleza que además de su look tan sexy es menuda pianista. Marialy Pacheco, cubana de La Habana, nacida en enero de 1983 brilla y toca que es una maravilla… A los siete años ya había ingresado en el Conservatorio Alejandro García Caturla de La Habana, Cuba. Luego siguió sus estudios en la Escuela Nacional de Artes, también de La Habana, Cuba). De ahí se graduó con honores en 2002. Tenia entonces 19 años. Estudio composición en el Instituto Superior de Arte de La Habana… En el 2013 se trasladó a Alemania, donde vive (hizo bien en irse de Cuba comunista)… En 2017 Marialy fue solista con la Babelsberg Film Orchestra en el marco de «Ladies Jazz Night» en el Nikolaisaal de Potsdam, se agotaron las entradas… lanzó su álbum “Duets” en 2017 con sus músicos favoritos… Además en 2017 volvió a aparecer en el Festival de Jazz de Montreux y debutó en Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club de Londres… Apareció en Jazz Baltica en 2022… Venga, la chica es un autentico fenómeno y creo que os va a gustar este cambio de ritmo…mare meua, flipas…pues Marialy es Salsa y Jazz y todo lo que os podais imaginar…

(Australian Music Centre)

In case you thought I was through, I bring you another beauty who, in addition to her sexy look, is a superb musician and excellent pianist. Marialy Pacheco, a Cuban from La Habana, born in January 1983, shines on every stage she touches and plays wonderfully… At the age of seven, she had already entered the Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory in La Habana, Cuba. She then continued her studies at the National School of Arts, also in La Habana. From there, she graduated with honours in 2002 at the age of 19. She studied composition at the Higher Institute of Art in La Habana… In 2013, she moved to Germany, where she currently lives (she did well to leave communist Cuba)… In 2017, Marialy was a starred as a soloist with the Babelsberg Film Orchestra as part of the «Ladies Jazz Night» at the Nikolaisaal in Potsdam, and the tickets were sold out… She released her album «Duets» in 2017 with her favourite musicians… Also in 2017, she appeared again at the Montreux Jazz Festival and made her debut at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London… She appeared at Jazz Baltica in 2022… There you go, this girl is a true phenomenon, and I think you’re going to like this change of pace… my goodness, you’ll be amazed… because Marialy is Salsa and Jazz and everything else you can imagine…

GRACIAS – CHEERS

#poem, «Autumn’s Light Remembered»

(Original Art by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

“AUTUMN LIGHT REMEMBERED”
(Inspired by Brahms Symphony No. 3, Mvt. III Poco Allegretto)

In the silence sewn between two heartbeats,
a violin begins to stir,
a gentle softness, as evening’s silken hair
brushing over the river’s flowing silence,
warm as a name no longer spoken,
a name never forgotten.

The melody walks the silver path
that lovers do
when they fear the world might vanish
if they float through here too quickly.

The violins, cellos and violas
carry the ache of an autumn’s evening light, amber and trembling,
so faint but yet remembering
everything it ever held in its soft glow.

Here love whispers love,
yet knows of joy’s fragile membranes,
and how easily it slips
through even the most faithful hands.

Stillness…
Settles evenly beneath the sighs of strings,
while promises move
the pulse of hope
threading through the shadows,
to tell you:
I am with you,
even in the places
where we cannot remain.

And then the music ends
as love oftentimes does,
not broken,
but evaporated, like darkness on a brilliant morning,
leaving ghosts to fill the air with thoughts,
creating the final chord
that echoes endlessly
through the indifference of a sunny day.

C.2025, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 6th of December 2025, Valencia, España

Saturday Morning Chat: An “AI” Artist?

(Waiting for a beer in El Carmen, C.2021, All Rights Reserved)

Today I saw a report about an “artist” whose work is being sold online, as nft, at auctions and that has already made 300.000 US dollars.

But there is no such artist. The artist is AI! However the programmer and the human artist behind this fallacy talk about this artificial thing as if he was a real artist.

For me art remains strictly, and absolutely, within the realm of humans and only humans. No machine can make art. Just as no animal can make art.

We shouldn’t be fooled by these gimmicks or by their “creators” who tell us that their AI artist is advancing and developing his art. AI is and should always remain, a tool, just like a palette knife or a vacuum cleaner…

In conclusion, we’ve many artists, human ones, as it should be. We need technology to advance health care and other industrial aspects, and not to meddle in the arts.

(I would really appreciate a like, a comment and a share, or even a subscription as this helps our channel)

CHEERS

#art, Mis dibujos a lapiz y tinta india… My Drawings With Pencil and India Ink…

(FBC/Actor portrayal/All Rights Reserved)

Un dibujo es una pintura con menos elementos, eso dijo Matisse y yo, como estuve y estoy muy de acuerdo con ese gran maestro, decidí hacer muchos, por eso dedique casi cuatro años de mi carrera a dibujar y el resultado lo titulé JaZzArT.

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Matisse, that great master of the XXth Century said that a drawing is a painting with less elements, and since I have always agreed, I spent four years of my career drawing and developing what turned out to be JaZzArT.

Instagram: @Francisco_Bravo_Cabrera

X: @Euskadi_Bakero

YouTube: @FranciscoBravoCabrera

GRACIAS – CHEERS

Poetry: «THAT»

(photo by Francisco Bravo Cabrera, C.2021, All Rights Reserved)

THAT

That feeling that now lingers and embraces
the place where shadows dance and silence roars,
has reached its highest point, its lonely climax,
has opened wide some long forgotten door…

That fragrance that now rises from your pale skin
that seems to know the way towards my desire,
has reached its highest point, has reached its climax,
and closed the wooden windows, lit the fire…

That deep, full smile,
that well placed love,
that gesture proud and bold…

That light that formed your careful form now conjures
long forgotten lines we traced on wrinkled papers,
later thrown, forgotten, sent to fly on pink-blue winds
its highest point its lonely climax reached…

Your voice…
Perhaps I’m wrong, but it seemed to me,
your voice untangled frightful dreams,
and scary nights and those tight knots that bind us to forever…

That’s why I can forget you never…

C.2021, 25 DEC 2021, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, Valencia, España

CHEERS

La pintura y la poesía…

(C.2021, Derechos Reservados/All Rights Reserved)

La pintura la defines de la manera que te de la gana… La pintura…bueno, el arte dirían algunos, es cosa que definen los artistas, que nos meten por los ojos y nos dicen que la tenemos que admirar, consumir, agradecer… Quizá seamos todos artesanos, una noble vocación, una profesión útil también y además se asemeja mucho a lo que hacemos, pues no somos originales… Despues de considerarlo todo me pregunto ¿Que hay de original bajo el sol? Pues yo diría que nada… A mi no se me ocurre decir que soy un artista, porque se supone que el artista es un creador y aquí en la tierra, donde peregrinamos, no hay creadores, habremos solo repetidores… El arte entonces es poesía… Pero ¿Como v ser posible? La poesía es el uso de la palabra para crear algo bello, con ritmo y con mucho garbo… Y, ¿La pintura que es?¿Acaso un garabato? Quizá amor mío, Quizá…

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Art can be defined any way you want to… Painting, well, some would say art, is something that «experts» define, and force upon our eyes and tell us we must admire, consume, appreciate it… Maybe us «artists» are all artisans, a noble vocation, a useful profession as well, and it closely resembles what we do, since we are not original… After considering it all, I wonder, what is original under the sun? I would say nothing… I cannot bring myself to say I am an artist, because it is supposed that an artist is a creator and here on earth, where we pilgrimage, there are no creators, only repeaters… Art then is poetry… But how can that be possible? Poetry is the use of words to create something beautiful, with rhythm and great elegance… And, what is painting? Is it just a doodle? Maybe, my love, maybe…

(C.2021, Derechos Reservados/All Rights Reserved)

GRACIAS – CHEERS

#poem, «Círculo eterno»

(Francisco Bravo Cabrera/representado por un actor/Atenas, 2025/D.R.)

“Círculo eterno”

Hambrienta,
la serpiente busca su cola,
¿Piensas que la muerde?
Te equivocas,
pretende…

De las migas del pan infinito
nacen las estrellas,
de las cenizas
las llamas,
y plegado el universo a Dios
su salvación implora,
rezando canciones y versos

La Luna,
su espejo,
en ella se refleja,
y en ella igual el mar,
y se van disolviendo las arrugas del tiempo.

Suspirando entre los latidos
del corazón del tiempo,
los nombres de los héroes se vuelven humo,
efímero espiral que siempre sube,
y que sin buscar encuentra,
su imagen y su reflejo.

Si úroboro te susurra:
“No hay muerte, solo regreso,”
no le creas pues las estrellas,
lirios en el firmamento,
adornando están las tumbas
de las almas que en silencio
murieron,
pero a su tiempo,
irán venciendo
a la muerte
y ganando amor eterno

(Segunda parte: “Amantes del Infinito”)

¿Qué somos tú y yo?
¿Dos barrancos frente a frente?
¿Pretendemos perseguir
hasta el borde de lo insano,
dos versos en una mente?

La serpiente, dorada y gris,
forma un anillo
pero acuérdate,
no se muerde la cola,
pretende…

Tu caricia arrastra la luz de un meteoro,
y la coloca en mi frente,
olvido dónde termino,
no veo donde tú comienzas,
pues somos llama que se atreve,
a purificar lo vil,
y a convertir esta noche
en la melodía de un canto,
que al ritmo de una guaracha,
nos enseña tanto,
tanto…

El amor nunca termina,
no habrá final ni comienzos,
el volver es continuar
sin miedo, sin contratiempos,
y el existir es ahora,
este segundo en el tiempo,
tiempo que tampoco acaba
se mide solo en silencio.

“El amor, eterno círculo que lo encierra todo en el universo, no olvida de donde viene, aun cuando las estrellas lo hayan olvidado.”


Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 10-13 de noviembre de 2025 – Valencia, España