May/June 2000
Dear Language Enthusiast,
Welcome to the June edition* of Spanish Monthly, the
Internet newsletter from Transparent Language. This is the
final issue in our three-part series looking back on some
of the most notable people, events and accomplishments of
the 20th century. This month, we take a look at Latin
American artists, writers and filmmakers who helped shape
our view of the 20th century.
Note that the article is presented in Spanish, followed by
a version in English.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
* NOTE: We have changed the Language Monthly mailing schedule.
Issues will now be sent at the beginning of each month
rather than month-end. To effect this change, we have
moved the May issue (which would have been sent in late
May) to the first week in June. The next issue, July, will
be e-mailed to you in early July.
En español:
A través de la historia, el arte ha sabido inspirar,
aliviar y estimular a la gente. Esto es visible también en
el arte del siglo veinte. Por ello, el boletín del
presente mes será un repaso de aquéllas figuras literarias,
artísticas y cinematográficas que a través de su expresión
han forjado la cultura latinoamericana.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) es una de las artistas femeninas
más célebres de México. Sin embargo, su aspiración de ser
artista se desarrolló únicamente a raíz de un grave
accidente automovilístico que la inspiró a enseñarse a sí
misma a pintar, recién a partir de los dieciocho años. Hoy
por hoy, es respetada internacionalmente por sus
autoretratos de colores vivos y chocantes. Kahlo encontró
tempranamente el apoyo de su marido Diego Rivera (1886-
1957), un artista altamente entrenado cuyos soberbios
murales, se ha dicho, han resucitado la pintura al fresco
en Latinoamérica. Estos murales son reconocidos también
por el uso audaz del color que emplea, pero a diferencia de
la obra más personal de su esposa, Rivera trata temas
"mexicanistas" de mayor relieve histórico.
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) de Chile es considerado uno de los
mejores escritores de poemas de amor en el mundo. Se
especula que Pablo Neruda (nacido Neftalí Ricardo Reyes
Basoalto) se decidió por escribir y publicar bajo este
seudónimo para despistar a su padre, cuya crítica hacia
desalentar sus deseos de escribir. Fue otorgado el premio
Nobel de la literatura en 1971. Otra poeta chilena,
Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957) fue la primera mujer
latinoamericana en adjudicarse este mismo galardón en 1945.
Sus poemas reflejan su pasión por las causas humanas,
inspiración que entre otras sirvió en gran medida a su
comunidad. También se desempeñó como educadora,
funcionaria cultural, y enviada diplomática a varios países
europeos.
Jorge Luis Borges y Gabriel García Márquez probablemente
son los dos autores latinoamericanos que más han logrado
incursionar en la primera plana de la literatura mundial.
Borges (1899-1986), argentino, es reconocido por su trato
del tiempo en su obra. Al igual que Frida Kahlo, un
accidente casi fatal le sirvió de inspiración para un
periodo altamente creativo, del cual surgieron los grandes
cuentos por los que hoy se lo recuerda. García Márquez
(1928) por su parte, inició su carrera como periodista en
Colombia, y desde entonces se ha sabido establecer como
escritor de novelas y cuentos cortos. Su obra se fía de su
estilo, el realismo mágico, para combinar realidad y
fantasía en un mismo plano narrativo. Fue premiado con el
Nobel de la literatura en 1982.
El novelista brasileño Jorge Amado (1912) empezó su carrera
literaria a los veinte años, edad en la cual publicó su
primer libro. La mayoría de sus novelas describen la vida
urbana de las clases marginadas de Bahia, sacando a la luz
su filosofía de izquierda. Su obra suele satirizar el
gobierno de Brasil, por lo cual se prohibieron sus libros y
fue encarcelado en 1935.
Walter Salles, más recientemente alabado por su filme
"Central do Brasil" ("Estación Central") es uno de los
cineastas brasileños más aclamados de los últimos tiempos.
Se inició como un director de documentales en 1986 tratando
inquietudes sociales en Brasil y la búsqueda de identidad
tanto nacional como individual. Continúa abordando temas
similares en su cine, como lo hecho en "Estación Central,"
en el cual nos cuenta la historia de un joven huérfano y su
relación con una mujer que escribe cartas para los
analfabetos desde la Estación Central de Rio.
Sea dando voz a los marginados, o llevando en un viaje de
fantasía a los aficionados del arte, escritores, artistas y
cineastas latinoamericanos han logrado impregnar su huella
muy hondo en la cultura del siglo veinte. Su contribución
ha sido amplia y variada y no puede ser resumida
brevemente, pero espero que hayan disfrutado de este paseo
cultural a través de los movimientos artísticos más
recientes de Latinoamérica.
In English:
Throughout history, art has inspired, soothed and called
people to action. Twentieth century art is no different.
Therefore, this month’s newsletter is a review of some of
the literary, artistic and cinematographic figures from
Latin America who have shaped culture through their
expression.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of Mexico’s most famous
female artists. She did not always aspire to be an artist,
however. Only after a serious bus accident when she was
eighteen did she begin to teach herself to paint. Now, she
is internationally respected for her self-portraits, which
use brilliant colors. One of Kahlo's earliest supporters
was her husband, Diego Rivera (1886-1957), a trained artist
whose dramatic murals are said to have revived fresco
painting in Latin America. His murals are also noted for
their bold use of color, but unlike his wife's personal
portraits, his work focuses on depicting broad themes in
Mexican history.
Chile’s Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) is considered one of the
world’s greatest love poets. His given name was Neftalí
Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, but he wrote and published under
the pseudonym Pablo Neruda; some speculate that he did so
to avoid criticism from his father, who had always
discouraged him from writing. He was awarded the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1971. Another Chilean poet,
Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957), was the first Latin American
woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, which was
awarded to her in 1945. While Mistral's poems reflect her
passion for human causes, they were not the only way in
which she served her community. She also acted as an
educator, cultural minister and diplomat to various
European countries.
Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez are perhaps
the two writers who have brought Latin American literature
into the global limelight. Borges (1899-1986) was from
Argentina and is best known for the treatment of time in
his writing. Like Frida Kahlo, a nearly fatal accident
stimulated an exceptionally creative period in Borges' life
in which he primarily wrote stories. García Márquez (b.
1928) began his career as a journalist in Colombia, and has
since established himself as a novelist and short story
writer. His work is best known for its style, magic
realism, which combines reality and fantasy. He was
awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.
Brazilian novelist Jorge Amado (b. 1912) began his literary
career at the age of twenty with the publication of his
first novel. Most of his novels depict the city life of the
lower classes in Bahia, and often reflect his communist
ideology. Much of his work satirizes the Brazilian
government, which imprisoned him in 1935 and banned his
books due to his leftist activities.
Walter Salles, most recently honored for his film about
life in Brazil, "Central do Brasil" ("Central Station"), is
one of Brazil’s most acclaimed directors. He began as a
documentary filmmaker in 1986, focusing on social issues in
Brazil and the search for an identity, both national and
individual. He continues to address the same issues in his
narrative films, as seen in "Central Station," which tells
the story of an orphaned boy's relationship with a woman
who writes letters for the illiterate in Rio’s Central
Station.
Whether giving voice to silent segments of the population,
taking readers or viewers on a fantasy ride or both, Latin
American writers, artists and filmmakers have made a
lasting impact on twentieth century culture. Their
contributions are vast and varied and cannot be summarized
briefly, but I hope that you've enjoyed this cultural
journey through the artistic movements of Latin America in
recent history.
Sources:
www.britannica.com
www.britannica.com/bcom/magazine/article/0,5744,260501,00.html
