Guinguindos, a concert of an exhibition

The renowned work of Eduardo Roca Salazar – Choco -, winner of the National Prize for Plastic Arts, has inspired Maestro Javier Zalba, leader of the Zsaxos saxophone quartet, to celebrate the link between the artistic expression of this remarkable painter, draughtsman, engraver and music, which will reach an impressive visual effect this Saturday at 7 p.m. in the National Museum of Fine Arts.

Guinguindos, a concert of an exhibition, is the show’s title curated by Gloria García and designed by Sándor González Vilar, as Zalba explained in an exclusive interview with Radio Enciclopedia. On stage, images of Choco’s pieces will be projected onto a screen in this meeting that will transfer oil painting, mixed techniques, and collagraphy into the harmony of a group of excellence.

The original name of the recital refers to the hairstyle of Angolan women due to the peculiar way of braiding their hair, which Eduardo Roca admired in that country 45 years ago. This hairstyle became an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the artist, who experimented with different techniques, initially with Chinese ink, charcoal, and pencil, and later with lithography, linocut, and, more recently, collagraphy.

Guinguindos will be one of the pieces performed by Zsaxos, along with the premiere of Saxofón creciente and other works, including En una alborada, Luces y sombras, all by Javier Zalba himself, who has also announced that percussionist Fabio Abreu González, a student at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, will be a guest.

The bond between the two maestros goes back to their days as students at the National School of Arts (ENA in Spanish), a solid friendship maintained over the years.  Choco’s passion for music and jazz, in particular, has been with him since those days – as he once confessed – as he testified at the last Jazz Plaza 2022 International Festival when his painting Trompeta china was chosen as the image of the event.

Talent, craftsmanship, versatility, and mastery are combined in Choco and Zalba, two artists who are the pride of Cuban culture, with fruitful paths; one in his world of brushes, inks, cardboard, and canvases, the other in his musical universe full of melodies, rhythms, compositions, and teaching.

Creative paths come together to continue on the path to creation, color, and beauty.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez