Ludic Prelude: Interlude with Julia *Julia de Burgos Centennial*

          © Alexander Rosado-Muñoz    “My hair is curled by the wind, my face painted by the sun” Poem: To Julia de Burgos 35.5″ x 24″ acrylic/canvas 2014

Update: The Show is up till November 29th

If you are in the NYC area – go check it out

My New Show Opening Friday Nov 7 2014  New York City

@ Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center

From an initial restless playfulness around a series of works (images) without a title, commences an enjoyable but complicated game of matching images with words (verses) from our legendary poetess. A ludic collusion thus emerges between word/verse/title, and image/form/opus. In honor of Julia de Burgos and in a celebratory disposition on the centennial of her birth, I propose a toast of ludic nature with these works for your enjoyment! And now another game is to follow: between those present with the verses, the forms, and the lines of every image…

…The interlude stretches over sixty years (from Julia to the present), all the same, I jumped around and through her binding threads, and became entangled in a tango with her spirit, her presence, her strengths, her vulnerability. – And as I reached and mamboed some more with Julia, her sensuality, her sincerity, her existence (her currents being completely current and her prevalence prevailing) – I asked who is this that shares with me, and touches me as her river touched her, profoundly striking at my dust filled chords, seemingly neglected and out of tune?…life itself…?

…and how does one achieve such an endeavor? To seek common ground through time and generations, to draw down from our most human attributes? To find what is hidden many times in plain sight?

The path was provided… I was lead to look for rhythms, forms, and motifs most commonly defining Julia’s work. We can take notice of her recurring themes: nature and the elements (flowing water), sensuality, woman issues, minority, and social issues, life, love, death. From her abundant potpourri of poetic portrayals, the streams became quite enjoyable, precisely because of the wealth. I found myself splashing in the splurge until I found in my work, images (visual poems) that almost seamlessly fused and danced to the rhythm of the lines of Julia’s harmonious channels. Thus the two becoming one, and therefore hopefully producing an engaging and querying ludic collusion for you.

Alexander Rosado-Muñoz

All the images appearing on this post are part of the twelve works to be shown at “Ludic Prelude: Interlude with Julia”

“Elongate yourself in my spirit and allow my soul to lose itself in your rivulets” Poem: Río Grande de Loíza 18″ x 23.5″ charcoal & acrylic gesso / gesso sealed paper 2011 ©

“By jumping clarities I have picked up the sun from the roofs” Poem: Winged journey 23.5” x 18” Acrylic & charcoal / gesso sealed paper 2009 ©

“Simple mirror where I gather the world. Where I am tender to the solitudes with my joyful hand” Poem: Lost poem in a few verses 21.5” x 18” charcoal & acrylic gesso / gesso sealed paper 2012 ©

“Silence me… I am a flute of forsaken life and I want to be silence” Poem: Come 11” x 23.5” charcoal & acrylic gesso / gesso sealed paper 2012 ©