Nancy Camacho
Puebla / 12.10.2024 17:25:49
José Antonio Haghenbeck Cámara, originally from the municipality of Tehuacan, He developed a taste for fine arts until he found his passion in sculpturea skill he has worked on for more than 40 years.
His best-known work is the steel sculpture he made in 2018 for the town of Capital. This work pays tribute to the love story between the warrior Popocatepetl and the maiden Iztaccíhuatl. It is located at the roundabout where the roads converge Huejotzingo-Calpan and Cholula-Calpan, popularly known as The Cruise by the inhabitants.
“My best-known work is that of Popocatépetl, which is at the entrance to Calpan, and it is a work that fills me with great pride, because it was for such a small municipality, with only 14 thousand inhabitants, whose municipal president saw a tourist opportunity in it. It gives me great pleasure because it is a way of valuing what we do, and I believe that art is culture and learning,” he expressed in an interview for Milenio Puebla.
During its more than 40 years of experience, has created works for the states of Guanajuato, Guadalajara and Tamaulipas.
To Antonio Haghenbeck, sculpture is an art that seeks convey feelings, in addition to capture the traditions, customs and culture of a peoplereflecting the evolution of a society.
“The beautiful and most beautiful thing about a work is that it lasts over time; What you do can be perpetuated and enjoyed by many when they know how to appreciate art. It is a long and sometimes heavy job, but it gives great satisfaction to see what you are creating. Each work is different, depending on the dimensions and details you want to print. The most important thing is to include the greatest number of characteristics and details in the work,” he said.
He mentioned that his first contact with art was in high school, when he participated in a modeling workshop. His first sculptures were created for the National Federation of Charros and were presented as prizes by the president Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon. This event motivated him to continue creating.
Two works for Puebla
At the moment, Antonio works on two artistic pieces: “Ascension of the bell by the angels” y “Woman, cell of life”with the intention that they be placed somewhere in the capital of Puebla.
He explained that “Woman, cell of life” is being developed in collaboration with the Association of Women United at the Service of the State AC (MUSE), and seeks to enhance the crucial role of women in society. This work consists of five sculptural elements that represent the main cyclical stages in a woman’s life: early childhood, school childhood, professional life, reproductive stage, and finally, old age.
On the other hand, the work “Ascension of the bell by the angels” seeks to represent the legend about how an eight-ton bell was placed more than 50 meters high in the north tower of the Puebla Cathedral. The sculpture will have six angels (three female and three male) holding said object, recreating the moment when, according to legend, the cherubs placed it.
art is not valued
Antonio regrets that sculpture is one of the most underrated professions and that he is not given the respect he deserves. This situation, on several occasions, has led him to see how his work is devalued, forcing him to negotiate the price of his works. However, He has not lost faith and hopes that new generations will become interested in sculptural art.
“In Puebla we need more artistic works, but it is also sad to see how they mutilate the art that one leaves behind. The invitation is for them to learn to value and, if they have artistic abilities, to exploit them,” he concluded.
So, Antonio Haghenbeck He has sought for his sculptures to transmit feelings and identity, inviting the viewer to reflect on their own inner and outer world.
AAC
