Voice From the Studio. The Newsletter of The
Art of Felix Berroa
No. 3. Long Island, New York, 1998
The Music Maker
(El Hacedor de Musica)
"In one of those years of my childwood I hear a man speeching to a large crowd. He speaking with a select eloquence and sophisticated words, no commonly used in the regular people speaking. When he finished his locution, someone from the crowd said: "He speaking well and pretty, but I don't understand anything of what he said"
Did he speaking well? Did he speaking grammatically correct? How someone know he speaking well if don't understand what he said? Think!
The paintings collection to be exhibit during the 1998 shows season is a caressed project for many years. This project was rested in my library for around eighteen years, until 1997.
Many time I try to beginning this series of paintings and drawings, but I was afraid to be "to simple" or "to folklorist". The first work painting in this subject was created in the Christnas of 1979-1980, in the mountains of Comerio, Puerto Rico. Was a girl playing the Portorrican "cuatro" ("four", the national Portorrican guitar). This instrument have ten strings in a set of five pairs. (No. 3-c).
The fear to "be simple" and "folklorist" invade me becouse of my young "revolucionary concience", very popular in my Dominican Republic enviroment.
Well, anyway, I start to painting dances and musicians from foklorics to classics.
One of the istruments most important in almost every country in the American Continent is the drums. Drums were everywere was Africans slaves. The Africans brought to America a variety of drums, depending from what part of Africa came.
In the Dominican Republic, in adition to a variety of drums -atabales, balsie, ..., they brought the "tambora", that combine with the Spain's liric and melody, created the merengue. Something similar happen in Cuba with the "mambo", "rumba", "son"and others from this country. In Colombia was the "cumbia"; in Puerto Rico the "bomba" and the "plena".
United Estates have in it musical scale, some unique characteristics no seen in other countries of the American Continent. Averywhere was Africans slaves, there was DRUMS. But, the Afro-American slaves DON'T HAVE DRUMS. Why? What happen to the North-American African slaves was very similar of what happen in Haiti. The colonizer, afrey oth the African revelion, prohibit the drums. (In Hati the African slaves continuous using, but mixed with the catolic religion). The drum, in adition to the use of the African religion, was an instrument of comunication. With the sound of the drums the Africans communicated with other plantations. Although the Afro-North-American can't save the drum, they don't stop to make musical sound. They use the whole bodie, hands, foots,... and "they sing". is no necesary said more. Everybody know about the great Afro-NorthAmerican singers, dancers, rappers, ... THE HEREDITAGE
Felix Berroa, 1998.
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