Introducing Rafael Caceres
Our encounter
In a visit to Cuba in 1999 on our way to Trinidad, we stopped for lunch in the town of Cienfuegos. We visited a couple of art galleries in front of the main square and I found -among several “naïve" paintings for tourists - a couple of colorful, strong pastels that reminded me of German Expressionists.
When I returned to Buenos Aires, I realized that these pastels bore no signature and I became determined to find out who their artist was. It was not an easy task. It took me several months until a friend, who was visiting Cuba, played the detective role for me during his stay in Cienfuegos.
Upon his return, the mystery was resolved: Rafael Cáceres Valladares, an engraver, painter, mentor, owner of his own studio and a passionate lover of his presses, inks, pastels and bristols, was the artist.
When this initial objective was achieved, I proceeded to a much more important goal: I invited Rafael to come to Buenos Aires and exhibit his pastels in a local art gallery. I chose the month of July, when the large ArteBA Exhibition was taking place, so that Rafael could contact local and regional critics and dealers.
I shall not go into all the details of this complicated project: From obtaining an institutional invitation in order to obtain his visa to sending him all necessary materials (e.g. pastels and bristols); from preparing, designing and printing catalogues (based on my two acquisitions and my translation of his résumé) to producing twenty (empty) frames the same sizes as the bristols; visiting galleries; sending tickets and money; obtaining press coverage, etc. Three months later, one midnight in the Winter of 2000, Rafael Caceres arrived in the Airport of Buenos Aires, somewhat confused, surprised, shy and emotional.
The rest was a complete success -- perhaps not only for the quality of his work, but also for the interest he raised as a Cuban artist, our unusual story and his personal charm. The guests at his opening were seduced by Rafael’s warm and simple personality, quite different from the heart-breaking power of his works.
As he has so well described in his own autobiography, nothing was easy during his life, but no difficulty could take away from him his joy to create, his enthusiasm for life and his vocation to teach.
- An Argentine friend