Valia Carvalho
UNA VIDA ILUSTRADA
Esta publicación es posible gracias a:
Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte Calle Independencia y Plaza Manzana Uno Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Bolivia Telfs. (591 3) 3395792 / (591) 76003552 manzanauno@gmail.com www.manzanauno.org.bo www.facebook.com/manzana1 Edición: Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte, Septiembre 2015 Traducción al inglés: Yussef Basma Supervisión gráfica: Ejti Stih Diseño y Diagramación: Ines Loza Impresión: Imprenta El Deber 500 ejemplares Depósito Legal: Impreso en Bolivia, 2015
Valia Carvalho
UNA VIDA ILUSTRADA
¿Cómo hace uno para empezar una vida nueva en un país donde apenas habla el idioma? ¿Lo único que tiene consigo de su anterior patria es su perro? Dibujar, dibujar gente en el metro, gente sentada, gente esperando, gente migrante igual que uno, dibujar la lluvia, dibujar la ventana de enfrente, hablar con la aspiradora de polvo, hacer que las tazas y las galletas de la mañana hablen de una relación, espantar los negros cuervos dibujando para que no te enreden en una eterna tristeza, dibujar, dibujar, dibujar… es lo que hizo Valia. Con su aguda inteligencia, con su inmensa sensibilidad, con un oficio de dibujo como pocos y con un talento para síntesis entre el sentimiento, la línea y la palabra nos lleva a su mundo íntimo, un mundo que hay que tener mucho coraje para publicarlo primero en internet y después en un libro. En el mundo de hoy, dominado por los millonarios negocios que se hacen también con el arte, el trabajo sincero e intimista de Valia tiene un valor incalculable. Al final de cuentas, el arte es atreverse a ser sincero con uno mismo y mostrarse desnudo a la gente es casi un acto heroico. Gracias Valia por compartir tus dudas, tus penas y tus alegrías con nosotros. Deshilvanando tus dibujos uno se da cuenta de que las angustias humanas son de acá y de allá, todos somos migrantes en esta vida. Gracias Valia por haberte comprometido en los primeros pasos de la Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte. Que este tu libro sirva para acordarnos, aunque sea desde lejos, de que la esencial tarea del artista es observar la vida con una sensibilidad no panfletaria, sino descaradamente personal. Ejti Stih
Artista Directora voluntaria de Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte
Voy a comenzar agradeciendo a Ejti Stih y a todo el equipo de la Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte porque me convencieron de hacer este libro (y encima de exponer!) y porque ¡cómo decir que no si son los 10 años de la Manzana 1 y este es mi pequeño aporte a uno de los proyectos más hermosos de los que he podido ser parte!. Quizá, quienes se acuerden de mi de antes, de cuando vivía en Santa Cruz, me recordarán como una artista quien, parafraseando a Ejti “se envolvió en la bandera, quemó el pasaporte y nos contó su angustia de amor por ser boliviana e hizo enigmáticos grabados”; sin embargo después de casi 15 años de estar metida en el circuito artístico me llegó el desencanto y por voluntad propia rompí con esto de “ser artista“ y me alejé del mundillo en un proceso nada fácil y que fue casi como aprender a caminar de nuevo. Yo ahora dibujo. Ni siquiera voy a decir “soy artista”: no, yo dibujo. Hace 7 años vine a vivir a Alemania, sin darme mucha cuenta de lo que significa una mudanza de ese tipo a los casi 40 años, sin saber el idioma, sin trabajo, sin amigos. Y dependiendo prácticamente para todo de mi esposo. Si bien este inicio en Berlín fue difícil, fue también muy liberador porque aquí nadie me conocía ni sabía que era artista, ni esperaban nada de mi, por lo tanto podía hacer lo que quisiera y me pude reinventar. Me acuerdo que en esa época escribí: de la libertad de ser anónima a la tristeza de no pertenecer hay un lapso de tres o cuatro meses y efectivamente me hundí en la tristeza y lo que me saco a flote fue el
dibujar. Comencé a dibujar lo que tuviese en frente, cualquier objeto, sin censuras ni excusas. Luego abrí un blog donde subía (subo) mis dibujos y muchos textos sobre mi vida en esos momentos. A través del dibujo, pude conectar e interpretar mi entorno. El dibujo me sacó del aislamiento, me obligó a observar, a salir de mi casa cuando aún no tenía trabajo, a fijar también mi mente en otra cosa, a redirigir mi mirada. El dibujo me devolvió al dibujo, o me devolvió a la creación, al simple y puro placer de observar y dibujar. Dibujar se ha convertido en parte de quien soy y es al final una de las cosas que me hace feliz. No dibujo para exponer, menos para vender; dibujo para mí y para compartirlo con mis amigos. Los dibujos de este libro son un poco un pequeño recuento de esta mi travesía alemana. De ahí los dibujos de la gente, las personas que observo en el metro, los cuales fueron una de las primeras series que realicé. Andaba con una libretita en mi cartera y dibujé obsesivamente, diariamente a cuanta persona veía en el metro. Mi cotidianidad está también reflejada en los dibujos de mi perro Fermín y en mi “vida ilustrada”. Mis melancolías y tristezas. Historias de amor algunas vividas, varias inventadas a través de “meteorologías” y “el y ella”. Han quedado cientos y cientos de dibujos fuera del libro. Es mucho lo que he dibujado en estos años y por suerte sigo dibujando. No todo es bueno. Pero eso no importa. A mi no me importa. Tampoco se que haré con tanto papel acumulándose. En todo caso simplemente me gusta estar con mis marcadores, un papel y ver todo lo que unas simples líneas pueden. He aquí, en este libro, un poquito de mí para ustedes. Valia Carvalho Berlin 2015
Gente
Fermin
MeteorologĂas
el y ella
MelancolĂas
Una vida ilustrada
How do you start a new life in a country where you barely speak the language? And all you have with you from your former homeland is your dog? Draw, draw people in the subway, people sitting, people waiting, immigrants like yourself, draw the rain, draw the front window, talk to the vacuum cleaner, make the cups and biscuits in the morning speak about a relationship, scare black crows by drawing so they don’t tangle you in an eternal sadness, draw, draw, draw‌ this is what Valia did. With her acute intelligence, her immense sensitivity, with a trade in drawing like few others and with a talent for synthesising feeling, line, and word she takes us to her inner world, a world with a lot of publish it first in the internet and later a book. In today’s world, where art is utilized by millionaires for business purposes, the sincere and intimate work of Valia is invaluable. After all art is daring to be honest with yourself, and showing oneself naked to the people is almost a heroic act. Thank you Valia for sharing your doubts, your sorrows and your joys with us. By unravelling your drawings, one realises that human anguish are the same here and there, we are all immigrants in this life. Thank you Valia for having been part of the first steps of the Manzana I Espacio de Arte. May your book serve to remind us, even from far away, that the essential task of the artist is to observe life with a non pamphlet sensitivity, but blatantly personal.
Ejti Stih
Artist Volunteer director Manzana 1 Art Space
I would like to thank Ejti Stih and the whole team of Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte who convinced me to make this book and to exhibit my work. It was an invitation I couldn’t reject as the Manzana 1 is celebrating its ten years anniversary. It has been one of the most beautiful projects I have been a part of and I’m happy to offer this small contribution. Perhaps those who remember me from before, when I lived in Santa Cruz may remember me as an artist who as Ejti described, “wrapped herself in a flag, burnt her passport and told us her anguish of love for being Bolivian and made enigmatic prints”. However after being a part of the art world for almost fifteen years I became disenchanted by it and willingly decided to break up with the notion of ‘being an artist’ and turned my back on it. This was a difficult process, which left me feeling like I was learning to walk again. I draw now. I never say “I’m an artist”: no, I draw. Seven years ago I came to Germany, without giving much thought of what a move like that meant, being almost forty, not knowing the language, not having a job or any friends. I was dependent on my husband for almost everything. While this new start in Berlin was difficult it was also very liberating, nobody knew me or that I was an artist, therefore no one had any expectations from me. I could reinvent myself and do whatever I desired. I remember writing this at the time: From the freedom of being anonymous To the sadness of not belonging There is a lapse of three or four months. I sank into sadness and what kept me going was drawing. I began to draw whatever was in front of me, any object, without censorship or excuses. I started an ongoing blog where I posted my drawings and various texts about my life. Through drawing I could connect and understand my surroundings. Drawing removed me from the isolation I felt, it forced me to observe, to leave my house when I didn’t have a job allowing me to set my mind on something else, redirecting my gaze. Drawing brought me back to drawing, or simply back to creating, to the pure pleasure of observing and drawing. Drawing has become a part of who I am, and it is one of the things that makes me happy. I don’t draw with the intention of exhibiting, and least of all to sell; I draw for myself and to share it with friends. The drawings in this book are a small recount of my German journey. I started drawing people, people I observed in the subway, which became the first series I made. I walked around with a small sketchbook in my bag and drew obsessively, everyday and anyone I saw. My everyday life is reflected in the drawings of my dog Fermin and in my ‘illustrated life’. My melancholies and sadness. Through love stories, some lived, some created through “Meteorologies” and “He and She”. There are hundreds and hundreds of drawing that had to be left out of the book. I have drawn a lot over this last couple of years and thankfully I still do. Not everything is good. But that does
Valia Carvalho Berlin 2015
Fermin can be the sweetest pug but... when he sees his public enemy N°1 this is what happens
Your gaze – uncontainable humidity forms clouds, drops, it rains
Today Fermin lost another tooth, the saddest thing...
Why? - asked he it´s like the currents, they come and go – said she
Fermin also waits for the rain
Cirrocumulus – said she you and your clouds – said he ah! but I am living my clearest days – said she
Ways of sleeping on the sofa
The butterfly effect, your kiss releases thunderstorms in the south
I am the mother of the dragons too
It rain, it rains, it rains, it rains, it rains, it rains. He said good-bye. She stayed waiting for the sun
The currents, in the south...
And so the rainy season is over
He made rain I am soaked – said she he did not know what to do
Butterflies? - asked he Dragonflies! - said she
Flustered millibars weighing on an imaginary column of air
Mangoes – said he they are so much more – said she
I´ll drown – said he in my arms – said she
I promise not to break it – said he / It is not mine, it is yours – said she
Why? - asked he I do not want to see when you leave – said she
What are you looking at – said he your absence – said she
The separation factor Do you whant to separate? - asked he No, just the cookies said she
Another day - said she I know - said he
Once there was love in a mango leaf
And she burnt her wings
All those things that I do not find those? words, things ah
It is not what we did not say – said he it is what we did not do – said she
And so her heart crumpled
Sometimes sadnes feels like an inviting lake of calm waters in which to slowly sink
You are waking me up said he Is that bad? - asked she
You are drowning - said he I know - said she You need to draw - said he I - said she
Store tears in bottles, label them mine not, mine are tied in my throat
I have to go - said she I know - said he
Luckily all is temporary
Face creams are promises which will never be fulfilled
In winter we should all hibernate
I do not always know what to draw. Luckily objects exist
Momentarily it all looks like this
I had an idea for a “she said - he said” drawing - said she What was it? - asked he I forgot - said she
My sewing box, a tiny chaos of tangled threads and needles to small to thread
This week has been like this
I am so vane. I like this part of my body, but after tomorrow I will have a scar. Like this or like this or like this. And it makes me sad Every time I take a bath I can´t help thinking on that Frida Kahlo´s painting Two years ago I had to start using reading glasses, I refuse to use them most of the time. So I bought a magnifying mirror: big mistake!
In this chest of drawers my most treasured memories and feelings are kept, like kisses on a rainy day, swimming in an icy water lake, and all those other moments of pure and complete happiness No matter how long you and I live under the same roof... I will always hate you
Valia Carvalho Nació en el Beni, pasó su infancia en Venezuela y Santa Cruz se convirtió en su hogar en Bolivia. Estudió Artes Plásticas en Argentina y México. Hizo carrera como artista exponiendo mucho durante varios años. Dejo de ser artista para convertirse en gestora cultural, descubriendo que le gusta mucho hacerlo. Ahora dibuja porque sí y trabaja en una universidad en Alemania, país que con todo y todo se ha convertido ya en su hogar. http://inkandspices.blogspot.de/ https://goo.gl/g7EsGs Valia was born in Beni, Bolivia and after spending her childhood in Venezuela, she returned to Bolivia, making Santa Cruz her home. She studied Fine Arts in Argentina and Mexico, successfully developing a career as an artist exhibiting her work for several years. Valia then decided to stop being an artist, discovering a new interest through choosing a new career path as a cultural manager. Valia currently lives in Berlin, Germany working at (name of university) and draws solely for her own pleasure. http://inkandspices.blogspot.de/ https://goo.gl/g7EsGs
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en su 10mo. aniversario