Among the strongest artistic expressions in Las Tunas are the visual arts. Although there is still much to be encouraged, young people are becoming worthy heirs to a legacy that is committed to new discourses and styles, without ignoring the references.
Two of the artists who capture the attention of viewers both inside and outside the territory are Jarol Rodríguez Morales and Luis Ángel Rodríguez González. The former recently won second prize in the Miradas que alimentan: Arte para la conciencia (Views that nourish: Art for awareness) competition, organized by the World Food Programme, the National Council of Plastic Arts, and other institutions. The second is exhibiting at the gallery of the Provincial Committee of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC in Spanish) in Las Tunas, in an exhibition entitled Ranking, which confirms his budding talent.
Jarol already has a smoother path ahead of him, and in the recent competition, he won the prize among a total of 58 creators. In that case, he took second place among the 12 finalists, a position he shared with Yasiel Álvarez Borges, from Artemisa, while Liesther Amador González, from Avila, took the top spot. In addition, as a result of this competition, the 30 most outstanding pieces are on display at the Visual Arts Development Center in Havana, including the series El aliento de los dioses (The Breath of the Gods) by the artist from Las Tunas.
Luis Ángel, for his part, is a young art instructor who has discovered in painting a way to travel to other worlds, to a dreamlike and exciting universe. Within his pieces, the viewer is transported to childhood dreams, details of nature, symbolism, cultural references, and even a certain dose of fiction. The influence of authors such as Maikel Herrera is also evident in some of his canvases. Cervantes, mystical beings, and even himself in the form of a self-portrait become some of the characters that traverse the canvas through surrealism.
The use of color and a peculiar atmosphere complete the spell of his creation, which Ranking is showing at the UNEAC until August 10. The green tones, for example, give his work a peculiar stamp and a certain freshness. Still not fully aware of the potential he carries on his shoulders, Luis Ángel is making his way here and there, thanking all those who are committed to seeing him grow. “For me, painting is a blessing. It helps me channel my emotions, observe the world differently, and draw inspiration from any physical or spiritual element to create my work. I think I will die of old age in front of my canvases,” he confessed at 26.
Jarol, a graduate of the Professional Academy of Plastic Arts in Las Tunas, shows, for his part, a mature work for his age and, as a result, has earned notable accolades in recent years, such as the La Temporal 2022 scholarship, awarded by the Center for the Development of Visual Arts in Havana. He has also exhibited at the UNEAC Gallery in our territory, highlighting his aesthetic quality, conceptual values, presentation of the message, and other features, where nature has recently become a leitmotif in his creation.
They are not the only ones who stand out in the visual arts here, but they do show what creators can achieve when they devote themselves early on.
