The architect and draftsman from Villariego exhibits in his native municipality a collection of works inspired by famous people, until next November 29
Five years can be a lot or nothing, depending on who values it. What is clear is that this five-year period is how long it has been since Carlos Fuentes (Los Villares, 1984) and Lacontradejaén spoke for the penultimate time (the last thing, as you know, doesn’t even have to be said to finish off the fifth or sixth round of beer).
It was December 2019, with everything that has happened since then: a terrible pandemic, for example. A time that has not passed by in the life of this creator and creative living in Alcalá la Real, who returns to his town, home, for ‘pre-Christmas’ loaded with possible gifts: his very personal caricatures.
“Together with a painter, I opened an exhibition in Alcalá la Real just a week before the pandemic, and it had to be closed. I think it was the longest opening that has ever been held in Alcalá, because it was on display for six or seven months (but “No one could come in to see it,” the artist says ironically.
Cádiz comedian Comandante Lara holds a caricature of himself, original by Carlos Fuentes. Photo provided by Carlicatura Fuentes.
From then until now, exhibition silence has presided over the activity of Fuentes, who until next November 29 shows his work in the Municipal Library of The Villareslocated in the monumental Viscount Palace.
“It was proposed to me by the Culture Councilor of the town, where I have done several workshops with secondary school students, and they proposed to me to exhibit the caricatures half a year ago.” Said and done, and a visit to the exhibition hall guarantees a most entertaining time that allows you to delve into the particular vision that Carlos Fuentes offers of such famous people as Javier Gurruchaga, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Juan Ymedio, to give just a few examples.
“They are all new works, it is a before and after of the pandemic, cartoons that I started doing in full confinement and until now,” he clarifies. A before and after, as the cartoonist himself remarks, which presents “more colorful works”: “This is a daily struggle against oneself, searching for a style or a method,” he comments. Cartesian the architect, yes. “But I’m realizing that in art there is no valid method,” he adds.
Currently, Carlos Fuentes does not stop, with this exhibition in his town and his participation in a couple of collectives in Jaén capital: “I am exhibiting with ‘Viñeta 6’ in La factory del arte and in the Provincial Public Library”, duck.
With Christmas and the Three Kings at the door, a visit to his exhibition also provides a good idea to give as a gift and look like no one else: a caricature, because apart from famous faces, Fuentes also shines when it comes to portraying, with a certain humor, even to the most anonymous of people. “Let them come and have a laugh, this week is so complicated.” It is the best invitation.
