(«Autorretrato» de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – «Self-Portrait» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
La luz es el elemento esencial que nos permite ver todo en el universo, el movimiento es señal de vida, de crecimiento, y la intención la pongo yo cuando estoy pintando, guiando y desarrollando una idea a través de un cuadro. Ese es mi trabajo aquí en Omnia Caelum Studios Valencia…
+++
Light is the essential element that allows us to see everything in the universe. Movement is a sign of life, a definite indication of growth. And I put intention into it when I am painting, guiding and developing an idea through a painting. That is my job here at Omnia Caelum Studios Valencia…
(JaZzArt fase IV, originales de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – JaZzArt Phase IV, original by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
(«El pianista» de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – «The Pianist» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
Voy a decir que es Handel… Georg Friedrich Händel, o Jorge/Jordi digamos… Este tio era la leche, fijaos: 42 operas, 25 oratorios, más de 120 cantatas, trios and duos, un montón de arias, odas y serenatas, sonatas, 18 concerti grossi, and 12 conciertos de órgano. Su pieza mas famosa es el oratorio titulado Messiah que contiene el famoso «Aleluya» y es una de las piezas de coral preferidas durante la época navideña. No se como seria el tío, no creo que nadie sepa, por eso lo pienso como me lo imagino, en la oscuridad de una catedral gótica componiendo a piano lo que luego tocaría con el órgano enorme que todas esas catedrales tienen…
+++
I’m going to say it’s Handel… Georg Friedrich Händel, or George, let’s say… This guy was amazing. He wrote: 42 operas, 25 oratorios, over 120 cantatas, trios and duos, a bunch of arias, odes and serenades, sonatas, 18 concerti grossi, and 12 organ concertos. His most famous piece is the oratorio called Messiah, which features the renowned «Hallelujah» chorus and is often performed during the Christmas season. I don’t know what the guy was like, I don’t think anyone does, so I imagine him in the darkness of a Gothic cathedral, composing on the piano what he would later play on the enormous organ that all those cathedrals have…
(«Andy» de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – «Andy» by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
Pop Art es un tipo de pinturas que se hicieron popular en EEUU y en el Reino Unido precisamente por que se basaban en temas populares, los pintores pintaban más o menos cosas de la vida cotidiana. Las pintaban con colores primarios, principalmente y con una forma casi caricaturesca para enfatizar que no era filosofía lo que transmitía el cuadro sino la aburrida cotidianidad. El padre de este estilo es Andy Warahol y le siguen Peter Max (el que más me gusta), Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, y David Hockney, entre otros miles. Claro los nombres de estos artistas no los he puesto particularmente en ningún orden. En Japón tenemos también a estos artistas «pop» como la «gran» Yayoi Kusama, que yo creo, de todas todas, que ella y Yoko Ono son la misma, pero bueno…
+++
Pop Art is a type of painting that became popular in the US and in the UK (later in almost all countries) precisely because it was based on popular themes. The painters depicted various aspects of everyday life using primary colours and a caricature-like style to emphasize that they were not conveying deep philosophy, but rather the mundane nature of reality. The father of this style is Andy Warhol, followed by Peter Max (my personal favourite), Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, and David Hockney, among many others. Please note that the names of these artists are not listed in any particular order. In Japan, we also have «pop» artists like the «great» Yayoi Kusama, who, I think is also Yoko Ono, but what the hell…
(Image is original Art Digital photography by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
I was before, and I have been here since, walking on these turquoise marble floors, eating bread and drinking wine, the wine left to survive the year of the draught where less than three barrels came out,
and you, yes, it’s always been you, the one without faith, without principles, who dared to rub her body on mine and kiss my lips, wet with wine for I’ve been drinking, and who invited me to die in her arms, but your arms were the wings of a butterfly, born on the first of December to die on the first of May,
when the stars weep above the sea, the green and grassy sea, where butterflies live and hide in the branches of bramble bushes, wise and slow, butterflies who knew and know what there is and what will be, especially at the hour when one drinks the sour wine of grapes that grew on floors of turquoise marble, and I raise my glass and there, toasting you, I will be.
2023, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 06 JUL 2023, Valencia, España
+++
I have talked a lot about my invention, the Euro-Ku before, so I will just mention that the Euro-Ku is a style of poetry that aims to connect with the traditional Japanese Haiku, but from a Western perspective. One must stay true to their own identity and the only way to appreciate a work of art is through the lens of one’s personal background, life experiences, and position in society. Therefore, I concluded that as a Western poet, it would not be appropriate for me to write a traditional Japanese Haiku. Instead, I chose to create something…similar…to convey the same concepts.
Thus on the 2nd of February 2022, the Euro-Ku was born. It has three verses but without syllabic count and with the requirement that the verses must be clearly understood by all and flow into each other in a simple, straightforward manner. And then there’s the illustration. The Euro-Ku must be accompanied by an original illustration created by the poet…
Yolanda Diaz, Pedro Sanchez, basta de cazas de brujas que esto no os pertenece así que no tratéis de quitarle el protagonismo a las chicas y hacer de una simple gilipollez de un tío un caso para vuestras ideologías anticuadas…
(«Retrato de Rubens» original de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/«Portrait of Rubens» Original by Francisco Bravo Cabrera)
Casi nunca me atrevo a hacer un retrato, salvo que no sea uno surreal-expresionista, pero bueno, os tengo que decir que la obra de Rubens me animó a hacerlo. Fue un genio, definitivamente y auténticamente y cuando veáis el vídeo lo comprobareis.
+++
I rarely dare to create a portrait, unless it is a surrealist-expressionist one, but well, I have to tell you that Rubens’ work encouraged me to do it. He was a true genius, and when you see the video, you will see it for yourself.
La luz del sol no tiene color pero nos permite ver colores… aunque trabajo mucho el blanco y negro, me fascinan los colores pues como dijo Kandinsky, son música para los ojos…
+++
Sunlight has no colour but it allows us to see colours… although I work a lot in black and white, I am fascinated with colour and as Kandinsky said, colours are music for the eyes…
(Obras de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – Work of Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
(«Freddy» Obra original de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – «Freddy» Original by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, que después se puso Federico Francisco Chopin, es uno de mis compositores preferidos, no tanto por sus scherzos pero por su música oscura y melancólica un autentico genio. Ya sabréis que nació en Polonia el 1 de marzo de 1810 y que murió joven en 1849 en París.
+++
Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, who later became known as Frédéric François Chopin, is one of my favourite composers, not so much for his scherzos but for his dark and melancholic music – a true genius. You may already know that he was born in Poland on March 1, 1810, and died at a young age in 1849 in Paris.
Chopin eligió esta pieza para que se tocase en sus funerales. Ciertamente es la composición mas oscura de todas las suyas. Termina en un smorzando que preludia la muerte que viene llegando…
El titulo según Solange, la hija de George Sands pudo haber sido:
«Quelles larmes au fond du cloître humide?»
Chopin chose this piece to be played at his funeral. It is certainly the darkest composition of all his works. It ends with a fading away…smorzando…that foreshadows the impending death…
It’s title, according to George Sands’ daughter Solange, could have been:
(«Amadeo», obra original de Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados – «Amadeo» original painting by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
No tengo idea de como era, pero me lo imagino así, un tío atormentado, un genio que no encaja entre las hordas de chalados y charlatanes que lo rodeaban, malentendido y hasta despreciado, pero imparable, intocable, inconfundible e insuperable…
+++
I have no idea what he was like, but I imagine him like this, a tormented man. A genius who doesn’t fit in among the hordes of crazies and charlatans that surrounded him. Misunderstood and even despised, but unstoppable, untouchable, unmistakable and unsurpassable…
(Original Art Digital by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)
I think I’ve lived a little more than some would have liked me to, but one day I’ll give the earth a few more grams of dust for all to walk through…
Eternity… We’re just the skin and bones that once we knew, and soon are gone. And one day we will live in skies of blue…
Time is just a measure of uncertainty, science is the essence of all lies, wisdom’s not contained in logic phrases, life is still a mystery to the wise…
C.2023, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 09 JUL 2023, Valencia, Spain