May 23, 2023, 10:03 AM
May 23, 2023, 10:03 AM
He Rubén Mamani, from El Alto, undoubtedly has a great talent for carving wood. His work Mother was chosen by the jury of the competition Live Wood Carving of the IX Casa Design Center Sculpture Symposium, which was held in the capital of Santa Cruz in its eleventh version.
The artist’s ability to manipulate the hardest trunk of the event surprised the expert sculptors who did not hesitate to award him the prize after seeing his finished work. “I I carved what the wood asked of me and thinking of paying tribute to Bolivian mothers in their month,” Mamani told EL DEBER.
The award comes to the sculptor at the age of 42 and months after graduating from academic excellence of the Plastic Arts career from the Public University of El Alto (UPEA). “It is the first time that I have been able to participate in a meeting of this level and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here and meet great sculptors,” said the winner.
Although since he was a child he played with clay, replicating animals and toy objects, carving cactus, chipping stone while helping his parents with work in their community, his first close contact with wood was at the age of 16 when he entered college in carved Don Bosco. “Once I entered I could not continue for a long time. I had to work and help my parents and brothers. I came back after five years and learned more about classical carving,” he noted.
Mother, sculpture by Rubén Mamani
In 2017, at the age of 36, he decided to enter the university. “I felt that I was missing something and that is where I learned the academic part such as composition”, explained the sculptor. In October of last year he obtained his professional degree and is now studying for a postgraduate course in Higher Education with the firm desire to teach in the university system. “Being an artist is difficult and you have to work a lot. Sculpture is complex and it takes time to finish a work. A key word is perseverance”, expressed the artist.
First time participating in the Symposium. “I always watched on the news and longed to come and I was wondering how one could participate and what is needed. I had no time for my studies and my work. Now the teacher Juan Bustillos contacted me and I accepted nervously, but with pleasure, ”he says between laughs.
His work was awarded for his carving technique, its sculptural composition, its good use of the tools used and the characterization of its characters adapted to the local environment. “It has a great future, He deserves the award for the time limit and his effort. His work normally in a workshop would be finished in a month. Another aspect that stood out is that he managed to make the piece have the features of the region, since he is not from here,” added Bustillos. The maestro from Santa Cruz was part of the jury along with great artists such as Marcia De Bernardo (Brazil) and Néstor Figueroa (Chile).
Mamani’s work and that of the other participants in the meeting will remain as artistic heritage for the city.
