Eliades Ávalo Rosales, despite his mastery, is not one of the most media-savvy artists in Las Tunas. Perhaps this is because in more than 50 years of artistic life, he has tried to distance himself somewhat from trends in the visual arts.
“I create so that I like the result, out of self-indulgence.” It is his way of staying pure, he confesses, and that must be respected. But even so, he never ceases to surprise us with a kind of folkloric discourse applied to figurative abstraction, and it is rare not to see at least one of his works in some gallery in the province.
Her paintings merge elements of eroticism, a mystical aura, and details of nature, with colors ranging from ochres to more vivid hues, injecting various meanings. Additionally, the artist employs other techniques such as photography and ceramics.
As we travel through dialogue to his creative genesis, he recalls that "I used to make very figurative art, almost hyper-realistic portraits. I achieved a mastery of drawing that allowed me to do so. I had good teachers at school. Then I moved towards a figuration closer to the astral. I assimilated a little of Lam's way of doing things because, in art, you have to drink from other people's experiences until you create your style. Also, from a Spanish cartoonist who settled in Cuba, whose surname was Posada."
Along these paths, he arrives at the present: “Today I like abstract art more than any other trend, but I always start with figurative art. When I draw on canvas, cardboard, or any other, I do so gesturally, trying to put aside the conscious, and then those lines, those strokes, are like provocations that motivate me to create the specific work.”
Ávalo graduated as a sculptor; however, in recent times, the knowledge he acquired in the three-dimensional field has helped him create installations that stand out as a tribute to idiosyncrasy, miscegenation, and identity in general. “The installation comes from my inclination toward sculpture, but I am also motivated by Leonardo Fuentes, leader of the Zona Creativa project. I joined the initiative, and that has motivated me to create them, which I like,” he explained.
Always willing to compare his work with that of other creators, this exponent of the region's artistic avant-garde continues to work and share his knowledge with emerging talents. "I will never forget the Nuevo Paisaje Hall (New Landscape), held in Santiago de Cuba, because I had only been a graduate for two years when I participated alongside several of my teachers. That's why, when I won, I dedicated the award to them; we must be grateful. I tell young people that you don't just paint with acrylics or oils, but also with asphalt, coffee, and other variants. The important thing is to create."
This is Ávalo, a simple man who makes life a huge brushstroke with his multicolored and authentic discourse. A man who is “true to himself,” whose ego will never remind him of his City Prize in Plastic Arts (1996), the Raúl Gómez García medal, or his many other awards. A man always ready to create and inspire others. A master.
