Conjunction

By Virginia Carreño

A man from Santa Fe Province who is a diplomat, poet laureate and art collector; a woman artist from Tucumán Province with a gift for manifold creativity, besides being a beautiful woman and a ranch owner; and a high-level medical doctor from Buenos Aires City, in love with her and her art, have jointly produced a book which is a real attainment. It was presented at a serial exhibition of masks and sculptures so human-like that nobody would wonder at hearing them speak. Several persons from the audience even came over to kiss them. This can happen only in Argentina, where everything is very expensive except talent. Rubén Vela is a great poet. As a diplomat, he was noteworthy. During his mission in Congo he became acquainted with the secrets underlying African carvings the meaning of which is a mystery to Western observers. He even managed to secure several thrones – formerly belonging to tribe kings, sculpted as seats out of a single hard tree trunk – which shed majesty in spite of their being medium- sized. As a truly generous person, he allowed their being shown at the few exhibitions of African art taking place in Buenos Aires. Poetic inspiration has accompanied him all through his life, his failing health being no deterrent to his success. Marta Díez, the flamboyant artist from Tucumán Province, began by capturing with her brushes the entire vibration of nature in brightly coloured pictures. She then turned a different way and became a sculptress. She has created masks behind which faces hide, but even so the viewer can perceive the intention of the person donning them. Many such masks are laden with precious stones; none of them is aggressive or ugly. From then on, in a surprisingly short time, she increases the quantity of figures modelled and coloured – some even wearing wigs and beautiful necklaces, spreading the spirit of a culture. Suddenly, we become aware of being at the Fernández Blanco Museum, or at the La Plata Museum, with vivid representatives from Maori peoples, or a Thai beauty. Finally, Dr. Alejandro Caride gathers all these colours, poems, figures, in a book that is a real feat of graphic art. This magic conjunction of personalities, places, geniuses, can take place only in Argentina, in the 21st century. Let us enjoy them before globalism snatches both inspiration and geniuses away from us.