In front of one of his iconic works of bulls in the Exhibition “Pinturas Rupestres” (cave painting), in a tone of explanation of a great master the National Prize of Fine Arts 2020, Rafael Zarza, held a pleasant dialogue for this digital site, from the Provincial Center of Visual Arts in Holguin.
Maestro, you were presented with the National Award in recognition of a whole artistic life, did you expect it?
-Awards always surprise you. I never thought I was going to receive it. I was proposed for 10 years, but I thank the jury for awarding it to me”.
Rafael Zarza, art, painting, painter from Holguín
Do you consider it the best award for you?
-It is one of the best awards that are being given today in Cuba. I think we also have to create more prizes that stimulate artists. I think there should be more workshops where young people can go and paint and have materials to work with. That is more important than awards.
Do you think the art of painting is a sacrifice?
-Yes, it is a great sacrifice of whole nights, of not going out, of going for walks. You have to work hard.
In the current complex context, do you isolate yourself to create your works?
-Painting is complicated anywhere in the world. I once read that Fernando Botero, the Colombian painter, even sold his works at fairs in Medellin for twenty dollars in order to survive. Today his works are worth millions”. All artists go through work. I started drawing maps when I graduated and I always learned. It is very difficult, very hard”.
What do you suggest to young painters today?
-I tell young people to paint, to work hard. Today they graduate and put them in places. I started drawing maps and it served me a lot too.” I tell young people to paint”.
You say you have tried to bring history into your work and that it is vital to you. How do you relate Ibero-American painting since the Ibero-American Culture Festival in Holguin?
I say that Ibero-American culture is much broader in the world. It has the influence of Spain and Africa that is inserted in our culture, in the Ibero-American culture”.
“Today we are trying to rescue the culture of the Indo-Cubans in the eastern part of the country. In the mountainous areas we are searching and making contacts with families descending from them”.
“Many settled there fleeing from that situation of the repression of the conquest, because, as Fernando Ortiz said, they take and give,” said the Cuban artist.
Zarza, looking at one of his favorite works from the exhibition “Pinturas Rupestres” (cave painting) smiles and thanks the dialogue, in an expression of modesty and naturalness, impressive for a creator with multiple international awards, personal and collective exhibitions in galleries in France and other countries.
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