Art is the universal language
Dorothea Dix Park in the city of Raleigh North Carolina is adorned to receive for the first time the works of an internationally renowned artist.
I am referring to the Mexican sculptor Jorge Marin.
Jorge Marin, born in the state of Michoacán on September 22, 1963, has managed to win the admiration of art lovers around the world and even further attract those who, out of indifference, are captivated by those bronze figures full of message. and mysticism exhibited in public places leaving behind the walls of museums, in their flight towards free spaces.
“Alas de la ciudad” (Wings of the City) The name of the traveling exhibition that we can visit for free from October 2021 to March 2022 at the Dorothea Dix Park in the city of Raleigh where 9 majestic bronze figures will be exhibited accompanied by Purépecha literature with the aim of disseminating the cultural richness of the indigenous peoples of Mexico and in this case of the state of Michoacán, their homeland.
For this reason, it is no coincidence that Jorge Marin, through his foundation and in support of the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh, is setting up this exhibition in North Carolina, a state where the largest Purépecha migrant community in the United States is based.
One of the greatest exponents of Contemporary Modernist art in Mexico. bronze sculptor. It is for this reason that the Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes wrote about the life of Jorge Marin and dedicated a text to his work that says: Bronze is a mestizo metal product of the alloy of copper and tin.
It is not gratuitous that Jorge Marin takes it, works it as the metal of our race, of our country. “Bronze race” we were called before “he expressed..
In an interview conducted by Revista Latina during the exhibition of his works in South Carolina, the answer to one of the questions he was asked caught my attention.
• How do you think it will be seen in the Carolinas with the population of Mexican immigrants that there is?
His answer is: Wings always represent man’s desire to fly. Winged beings have been represented in all cultures of the world. They are part of the shared iconography of humanity. That is why when our Mexican compatriots see these winged figures they feel identified because they also took flight, they decided to fly to change their lives. When they interact with these works, they can dialogue about themes such as freedom, movement and travel. When a person gets on the work Alas de México and wears them, they should feel proud of having reached the place where they are.
His most relevant work in this exhibition is “Alas de México”, two large and majestic bronze Wings that express the freedom of the human being, the author speaks of them: “I will be happier if Alas de México serves the people to protest and assert their rights ” he expressed..
Sculpture that symbolizes freedom and invites to recognize the value of migration and cultural exchange as factors that enrich societies.
Migration for the Mexican sculptor is something significant since also through his foundations “Patria Migrante y Compañero de viaje” he has been able to create bridges of support to help Mexican immigrants and also children and adolescents who, on their journey from their countries of origin pass through Mexico providing psychosocial support through art.
Prominent Mexican artist who carries pride of his roots through his works and through his work manages to be a great ambassador of Mexicans around the world.
As an important complement to this article, we have conducted an interview with the master Jorge Marin, with the aim of bringing him closer to our community through messages that show the human sculptor in each response, thus achieving a form of interaction between the artist and the reader.
INTERVIEW
Response from Jorge Marín, Mexican sculptor.
As a sculptor… What is your main objective in making works where the wings are the focus?
I don’t have a particular predilection for the symbol of the wings, although I recognize that this is very powerful, hardly anyone is left without experiencing some emotion, that’s why I use it a lot, just like the human figure. I like universal symbols, because they are the ones that make me react, the ones that make me feel and move me. I suppose that something similar happens to those who see my work.
What is your message through your works that are on display for immigrants who still preserve their native indigenous languages outside of Mexico?
I would like to tell these people that they come from a very rich and ancient culture, the roots of an individual and a society are key to being better. I would like to arouse their curiosity so that they investigate a little more about those roots, wherever one goes or lives, one carries a personal treasure with respect to their cultural and social formation, the ideal is to share it with others, or at least to know that you have
What message do you send to the Spanish-speaking community in general that we emigrated to this side of the border that they can read and know now?
I would tell them that it is very important to be aware of their cultural roots, very proud of them, but I would also tell them how important it is to always learn from the place where we live, from the people we surround ourselves with, learn from them, always learn from others. forms, of other cultures, of other mentalities.
Responses from Elena Catalán, director of the Jorge Marín Foundation
Have you thought of a future project where you include more languages apart from the Purépecha language in your works or exhibitions?
Yes, the idea is to generate in each of the exhibitions a link with the original languages of each venue (where there are), not only the curatorial texts in different languages, but also the generation of activities that allow dialogue and dissemination of this intangible cultural heritage.
Is there a book that you can recommend to learn more about your life and your work?
Throughout Jorge Marín’s artistic career, different materials have been generated that speak of his different stages: Bronze in fullness, Bronze, Wings of Mexico, Wings of Mexico X anniversary, The body as a landscape.
Sincere thanks to the teacher Jorge Marin and the Director Elena Catalán for their willingness to carry out this conversation. Also to our collaborator Alicia de Dios Fernandez for the realization of this article.
