Críticas Magazine

Adriana V. Lopez

The Artist Formerly Known as President Chavez
September 27, 2008

The painting is called The Yare Moon. The message written in red lettering below the painting reads: "The mill of the gods grinds slowly!"



Yes, artists are known to be impatient. The artist, formerly know as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, painted the work while serving a two-year jail sentence. He had lead a coup attempt in 1992 that resulted in a military fiasco. But one that eventually paved a clear path to the presidency. In an auction last week, the painting sold for $255,000. The highest price ever paid for a Venezuelan artist’s work in that said country. Three Venezuelan businessmen paid the sum. The artist will donate the money to fund his socialist revolution, putting it into the hands of the PSUV. Chávez is in his tenth year of power and the socialist party hopes for his municipal and regional reelections next month. Nobody can doubt his artistic street cred.  Growing up the artist used to paint his friends, furry animals and picturesque landscapes. When he was in the military, he drew caricatures of his comrades. I read in The Guardian that the artist/president said, “his revolution was like an unfinished painting and he was the artist. Giving the brush to someone else was risky, ‘because they could have another vision, start to alter the contours of the painting.’”

Posted by Adriana V. Lopez on September 27, 2008 | Comments (0)