Magic, bright conjunction of poetry and art
By Sebastian Jorgi
Masks by a great artist: Marta Díez. Poems by a great poet: Rubén Vela. Two brightly original creations for a publication where the empty eyes of masks meet the respective text - not as a mere explanation or translation, but as consubstantiation, as a constituent part. It is best for the writer of this note to reach José Emilio Burucúa´s epilogue, since he is an indispensable authority on the subject. “Anthropologic theories on the meaning and functions of masks are as varied as is the very typology of such objects. The forebear , the totem, the other – both psychic and collective; the metaphor of individuals´ hidden desire; inversion or radical change of social roles; the dead one - not by far a complete list - all of these have been used as references when it comes to explaining the singular fact that, at rituals and celebrations, human beings tend to wear masks.” Nothing can be as didactic, if we are to become acquainted with historic and anthropological aspects of masks, and this is what sculptress and painter Marta Díez displays for us in such a masterly fashion. Beyond our own intuition, as we stand in front of them we notice that they are looking at us through “those empty eyes”, as Rubén Vela poetically puts it. “Those faces looking at you, mixed faces in which apparently various eras have gathered together after having crossed infinity until their arrival in a different world. Those faces displaying colours each of which is original and bestows a certain joy on the hard profession of living.” Beyond the sense of intuition surrounding us as we stand before her works (meaning the exhibitions held by this original artist) and notice that they are looking at us through “those empty eyes” , Rubén Vela poetically expresses it as he mentions “ mixed faces in which apparently eras and times gather after having crossed infinity in order to reach a different world, those depicting original colours and providing a certain joy to the hard profession of living.” The reader will notice that the word “conjunction” right in the title of this note has not been used randomly . The symbiosis had been hinted at on the occasion of previous exhibitions of Marta Díez´work at the Chamber of Commerce of Buenos Aires and the Jorge Newbery Airport of Buenos Aires (as duly reported by “La Capital”). In this respect we are reminded of Rubén Vela´s words on those occasions: “Marta Díez invents her own myths, her very particular ceremonies arising from her own self. Marta Díez is at the same time the conjure and the sacrifice showing us through art and beauty that it is possible to reach the magic world from which modern man was dismissed.” I have expressed in those notes something about the effect of wonderment and the feeling of having travelled through time, the strange shudder of being present at such rituals, as though one had been caught. Each mask, each collage of masks by Marta Díez is suitably accompanied by a poem written by Rubén Vela. This bilingual edition in Spanish and English was produced by Alejandro E. Caride (AEC), translated by Sara Samet de Gullco, with photographs by Gustavo Díaz Spólita, Agustín Muguerza, José Luis Barros, G. Pineiro and H. Molina Suárez. Printed at Ronor. A beautiful publication in which the marvellous art of Marta Díez (San Miguel de Tucumán, 1956) meets with the revealing, relevant poetry by Rubén Vela (Santa Fe, 1928) and they both truly excel.