JaZzArt en València

Sin dudas, una de las grandes verdades…

I always thought that artists (painters and sculptors) only had to display their works and with that they said it all. However, as you can see, here we are talking away, theorising and explaining. Art History (as an academic course) has become too long and too coarse. It collects, like a rubbish bag, everything that they throw into it. Styles of art are mostly defined by critics, «professors,» and journalists supposedly specialised in writing about art. I will tell you what I think of each of those groups.

First the art critics. To this group I give very little value and very little time. I can do without them and I wipe my nose with their critiques. We all know how to judge and how to determine what we like or don’t like, so we do not need a parrot to tell us what is good or not or to guide us. Second, the supposed teachers or professors. Well, this group is seemingly very important because they are to teach art students and guide them towards becoming artists. But they lose all their value when, in place of teaching the fundamentals, they serve as advocates for their own favourite style or artists. This creates students that really do not know much about making art, losing sight of the fundamentals of painting, sculpture, lithography or ceramics.

The art journalists, or those who write about art. Being those that tell us about openings, dates, times, the artist or artists involved. They are good for that, to help us fill in dates in our calendars to go see an exhibition, or not. But they go further, they promote those they like, or those that seem to be in the present «vanguard» and ignore the rest like the plague. Most of these «journalists» are frustrated or failed artists themselves. They probably failed because they did not work hard enough or dedicate enough time. Art requires hard work, and talent is only developed through sweat, effort and time. One is not born with talent, one develops it if one is interested in what they are doing. So I really do not have many good things to say about those who only write about those in the current mix (or those who pay them). Great journalism I’d say!

OMNIA CAELUM STUDIOS VALENCIA PRESENTS:

Cheers…

A shameful alliance is formed between a corrupt government and the citizens that support it…

Un cuadro tiene que valerse por sus partes que lo componen, como una sinfonia, donde todas las notas encajan…

El pintor, o sea, el artista, tiene que reivindicarse con cada cuadro que pinta. Su historial no lo hace un artista, su trabajo si…

Si un cuadro no comunica una idea, si no le habla al observador, supongo que no tiene espíritu y sin espíritu no hay vida. Es un cuadro que no tendrá trascendencia…

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A painting acquires its unity from its component parts, like a symphony, wherein all the notes fit in with perfection…

The painter, or the artist, has to revendicate himself with every painting he makes. His history does not make him an artist, his work will…

If a painting does not communicate an idea, if it does not talk to the observer, I suppose it is because it lacks spirit and without spirit there is no life. It is a painting without transcendence…

OMNIA CAELUM STUDIOS VALENCIA PRESENTS:

Gracias…

Cheers…

El canto de mi nostalgia se revienta en el silencio…

La fuerza de esta nostalgia es el cimiento de mi infierno…

La paz me llega después de haber sufrido la guerra…

La luz no brilla de rosa en la azul soledad que me encierra…

La vida no es vida si no vibra por la tierra,

escurriéndose entre parras, bellotas y olivos,

y al escapar de tantas delicias,

se disloca el hombro en el pantano feroz donde mueren los quehaceres,

los demonios, los deseos, la armonía, el jazz, el hip-hop,

y uno encuentra la cara de Dios reflejada en un hilo de realidad que baja del cielo…

¿Y la voz que ruge en mis sueños?

Eso no es mas que el eco, tímido y ajado, de la nostalgia que ayer dejaste sola,

abandonada en la colina de aquel monte bajo el sol de la mañana,

porque el canto de la nostalgia se aferra a las madrugadas

y se revienta en el silencio.

2023, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 24 de noviembre de 2023, Valencia, España

GRACIAS…

Todas las imágenes estas reflejan partes de cuadros, pero por si solas se convierten en composiciones completas…

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All of these images reflect parts of paintings, but by themselves they turn into complete compositions…

OMNIA CAELUM STUDIOS VALENCIA PRESENTA/PRESESNTS:

Gracias…

Cheers…

LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING…to people like me.

(Prologue)

Give yourself a chance,
while running through the rat race we call life,
don’t let it pass you by.
Try! Try! Try!
I thought I saw two roosters fighting,
feathers flying,
sharp spurs cutting flesh,
one rooster dying,

The mystery that nobody can explain
is that the love that hurts is love that’s gained…

lead rips a hole…
and a bullet becomes a modern crucifixion,
a nail through the heart…

Love is a hurting thing,
so we better love apart and love to win…

I thought I saw her claws
Ripping my flesh,
stretching her fingers through
The mirror…

Give yourself a chance,
after all, what can we do but dance?
Dancing on the gravestones of
those lost so long ago…

Now, if it would only
Rain…

Think we’ll start a revolution?
Think anyone cares?

A sunflower looks at the Moon,
And summer cannot come too soon
and ease the fears…

Trying is not hard enough,
Love has hidden beneath the rough
deep, deep waters
of the lake that you can’t see
Because it belongs to me…
Selfish cries,
I, me, mine,
repetitious,
sarcastic,
realistic
and so boring.

What is happening to people like me?
People like me are getting harder to see.
We’re surfing the mountaintops,
and climbing high summits under ocean waves,
while ecstasy’s the rave
and brain cells are dying…

Without a thought in mind,
they’re lying in their dreams
and dream of finding something,
undefined,
never written, unknown to everyone and too ridiculous…

The darkness of the room
collides with good intentions,
with inventions,
and abstentions,
and finds a hole in your head
through which it can find a neuron,
dead and looking
like a dragon’s head
but wiithout fire…

Ire!
Yes!
Desire has taken a holiday,
your caresses have found
a lonely cloud
nine million miles
from where my skin should be,
There’s no more hugs
from me.
Is that what’s happening to people like me?

C.2020, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, Valencia, España

(I wrote this poem on the 20th of March, 2020, six days after the confinement in Spain due to the declared pandemic. I guess we’ll all forever remember COVID-19…)

Siempre he dicho lo mismo, el arte no es ni misterio ni la creatividad ni otra cosa que la búsqueda y siempre que he buscado he encontrado…

Gracias…

Here is the metal print of this, one of my surreal-expressionist Jazz Art images. It is now available, through Fine Art America, as a fine art print, affordable and quite nice. There are other types of prints and other things as well. Check out my gallery at Fine Art America. This company handles the sale and quickly ships to you.

OMNIA CAELUM STUDIOS VALENCIA PRESENTS:

Cheers…

Gracias…

Cheers…