2024-10-29 16:34:00
Facing Goya, rather than daring, is suicide. It is impossible to fight that threat and emerge unscathed. The artist Lita CabellutAragonese like Goya (she was born in Sariñena in 1961; he in Fuendetodos in 1746), took the bull by the horns and decided, “with humility and admiration”, to confront the ‘Disparates’ and make an “artistic reading” of them. Unfinished and created between 1815 and 1823, it is the series of etchings by Goya the most enigmatic and difficult dand understand. He did so shortly before his exile in Bordeaux, when the Inquisition was on his trail.
The Queen observes a sculpture by Lita Cabellut, together with the artist, Ernest Urtasun, Tomás Marco and Eloy Martínez de la Pera
EFE
There have been artists who have dared to work with the ‘Caprichos’ (Dali), ‘Corrida’ (Picasso) or the ‘disasters of war’ (the Chapmans). The same did not happen with ‘Disparates’, which Cabellut considers “the most primitivist, disruptive, cryptic and radical creations of Goya’s work and, at the same time, I understand them as the most contemporary narratives and those that best reflect the defects of today’s society. Confronting Goya, he confesses, “produced me an indescribable vertigo. Era terrified. It was a great responsibility. When you climb a mountain and find yourself on the edge of a cliff, you can fall into the void, but sometimes danger is the only salvation. Goya It transformed me as a woman, as an artist and as a person.».
THE Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando He keeps among his treasures the four series of etchings by Goya, as well as all the plates (except four), which have been restored and today appear splendid in the Goya Cabinet. There is therefore no better place to host the “Goya X Lita Cabellut” exhibition. The nonsense. Miserable humanity, it’s your fault”, inaugurated this Tuesday the Queen Letiziaaccompanied by the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasunand this will remain open until January 26, 2025. Whims or nonsense of fate, in the midst of Errejón tsunami that is investing Sumar these days, Urtasun was able to see firsthand how Fuendetodos, two centuries ago, already warned (he did) against violence and abuse against womenthe lack of freedom and the fear of it, prostitution and unwanted eroticism, among other basic passions of the human condition: selfishness, brutality, ignorance, marginalization…
Lita Cabellut’s new artistic project originates from a catastrophe: the flood who suffered a few years ago Bardon BookshopAli Baba’s cave for bibliophiles in Madrid. Among its jewels, a second edition of Goya’s ‘Disparates’ (1875-1877), purchased by Cabellut. «’Nonsense’ entered my life. I don’t believe in coincidences. Things happen because you take one path and not another. This folder, which survived a shipwreck, had to fall into my hands”, says the artist. He refers to a green folder, closed in a display case at the beginning of the exhibition, which contained Goya’s engravings and which still preserves the firefighter’s footprints who saved them from the water.
The artist took them to his studio in The Hague, which was “intoxicated” by Goyajust like her. “In reality, it has always been in his painting”, underlines Eloy Martínez de la Pera, curator of the exhibition. He notes that Cabellut shares with the teacher “the same drive, the same passion for the imperfect society in which they lived. They talk about the best and worst of human beings: mistreatment of women, sexual slavery, sectarianism in the world of politics; “They criticize the powers that be, but they also speak of goodness, hope, beauty and truth.”
Cabellut feels great admiration for those he considers his master and «the bravest journalist in this country»: «I approached Goya from the first moment. It has always been with me. We both left Spain. When I realized I wanted to be an artist, I knew I had to be how he saw life: observing and going out into the street, going through the skin to reach the muscles. He witnessed the greatest atrocities, he went to his laboratory and left testimony to them, without judging, even if it hurt him. “I believed in humanity.”
He came to the Netherlands at the age of 19 on a scholarship at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and remained in the country. She is one of the most sought after artists in our country. Artist chosen by the Netherlands in 2021 and ‘honoris causa’ by the University of Barcelona, it is her second exhibition this year in Madrid. Between May and June he exhibited at the Galleria dell’Opera. In this new project, Lita Cabellut’s colorful canvases have given way to symphony of black, white and grey: “Goya taught me that blacks are not blacks, and all the nuances that whites contain.” Goya’s ‘Nonsense’ is displayed alongside twenty works by Cabellut: large-format canvases and sculptures and deformed heads in attics. From Goya’s engravings he chooses elements that he finds moving, even if barely visible.
«There is no fabric that resists Goya’s passion» says Cabellut. He used twill, a difficult material used by Goya, and there is also a sculpture made with tarlatana, a fabric used to remove the excess ink with which the etching plates are impregnated. To close the exhibition, ‘Landscape full of caresses’, a white painting (to symbolize that, despite everything, there is light and hope) and a film that shows his creative process. Lita Cabellut, in her purest form, in full delirium.
«Goya gave me everything, my education on human conscience, on ethics; he taught me how to do it recognize chiaroscuro in which we live – he explains –. Goya took away my fear of the dark. He taught me to look ghosts in the face and make them small. Also to love them, because they are ours. For Cabellut, Goya’s ‘Disparates’ “perhaps the greatest raw and intensefull of hope and love throughout her career. It’s a beautiful farewell letter, a tribute to the human being».
Cabellut understands contemporary art as a continuation of the art of the past: “We do not invent, we do not create anything new.” He pays homage in his work to the great masters he has always admired: Velázquez, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Goya, Rothkor… “There’s a lot of Rothko here, even if you don’t see it,” he comments. At the age of 13, during a visit to the Prado with her adoptive family, this gypsy artist – abandoned by her mother at the age of 3 and ended up in an orphanage – had a revelation while contemplating “The Three Graces” by Rubens. I would be an artist. And so it was.
Although she has lived in The Hague for many years, Lita Cabellut feels “very Spanish; “It’s a very rich country.” The black paintings that girl saw in the Prado “remained for her whole life. “I never let go of Goya.” Why ‘Nonsense’ and not his black paintings? «We live in absurdity. It’s what I had to do».
#Goya #taught #ghosts #face
Exhibition Overview: “Goya X Lita Cabellut”
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando is currently showcasing the “Goya X Lita Cabellut” exhibition, featuring a remarkable collection of Goya’s etchings and works by contemporary artist Lita Cabellut. Queen Letizia inaugurated the exhibition, attended by Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun, and it will remain open until January 26, 2025. The theme of the exhibition tackles the complexities of human nature, including issues such as violence against women, freedom, and the darker sides of society—topics that both Goya and Cabellut explore in their art.
Artistic Concept and Inspirations
Cabellut’s project was inspired by a personal catastrophe involving a flood at the Bardon Bookshop in Madrid. Among the salvaged treasures, she found a second edition of Goya’s Disparates, which deeply influenced her artistic vision. Cabellut noted, “Nonsense entered my life” and emphasized that she doesn’t believe in coincidences, suggesting that her path was meant to intertwine with Goya’s work.
The exhibition features a striking contrast to Cabellut’s previous colorful canvases, presenting a symphony of black, white, and grey. She describes Goya as a mentor, stating that he taught her to recognize the complexities of life through chiaroscuro. Cabellut expresses her admiration for Goya, declaring him “the bravest journalist in this country” for his unflinching depiction of societal horrors without judgment.
Works and Installation
The exhibition juxtaposes Goya’s engravings with Cabellut’s large-format canvases and sculptures, highlighting thematic connections. One notable aspect is Cabellut’s use of materials historically associated with Goya, alongside innovative textile choices such as twill, which reflect Goya’s passion for his craft.
To conclude the exhibition, Cabellut presents Landscape Full of Caresses, a white painting symbolizing light and hope, accompanied by a film documenting her creative process. In reflecting on Goya’s influence, Cabellut shares that he “taught her to look ghosts in the face and make them small,” reinforcing her belief in the importance of confronting and acknowledging the more challenging aspects of humanity.
This exhibition not only serves as a homage to Goya but also reaffirms the timeless relevance of art in expressing and confronting societal issues, making it a significant cultural event.