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Mario Vargas Llosa, A Giant Of Universal Literature, Dies

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Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa died this Sunday in Lima, his children Álvaro, Gonzalo and Morgana announced in a statement. Born in Arequipa on March 28, 1936, the 2010 Nobel Prize winner for Literature had just turned 89. Author of seminal works such as Conversation in the Cathedral, The City and the Dogs, and The Feast of the Goat, he was one of the most important writers of contemporary literature in any language. A novelist, essayist, polemicist, columnist, and academic, Vargas Llosa will go down in history as an extraordinary storyteller and an influential intellectual in the old-fashioned sense—that is, before social media.

“His departure will sadden his relatives, his friends and his readers, but we hope they will find comfort, as we do, in the fact that he enjoyed a long, multifaceted and fruitful life, and leaves behind him a body of work that will outlive him. We will proceed in the coming hours and days in accordance with his instructions,” the statement from his children said. “No public ceremony will take place. Our mother, our children and ourselves trust that we will have the space and privacy to bid him farewell as a family and in the company of close friends. His remains, as he wished, will be cremated,” they add.

In October 2023, he published his last novel, I Give You My Silence, which concluded with a brief announcement of his farewell to fiction. Two months later, he also said goodbye to journalistic columnism, that is, to the column he had published fortnightly in EL PAÍS since 1990. These articles demonstrated his inexhaustible intellectual curiosity and his eagerness to intervene in all current social and political debates. In them, as in some of his essays, the morally progressive but economically neoliberal Vargas Llosa emerged, baffling (and even irritating) the thousands of admirers of his novels.

It was his conservative political commitment that was invoked for years to explain the delay in receiving an award for which he seemed predestined: the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 2010, just as he had disappeared from the bookie’s odds, the Swedish Academy woke him up in the middle of the night in New York —he was a visiting professor at Princeton— to announce that he had finally been awarded the most coveted medal in universal literature. The reason? “For his cartography of power structures and his sharp images of resistance, rebellion, and the defeat of the individual.” He was 74 years old and had just sent to the printer a novel about savage colonialism associated with rubber exploitation: The Dream of the Celt.

Since he debuted at the age of 23 with a volume of short stories —The Chiefs (1959)— he didn’t stop writing and publishing. However, at the time of his Nobel Prize, one had to go back a decade, to The Feast of the Goat (2000), to find one of his great pieces. In a way, that novel based on real events about the tyranny of Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo was his belated contribution to the unofficial conspiracy of Latin American authors to portray the subcontinent’s dictatorships. Gabriel García Márquez (The Autumn of the Patriarch), Miguel Ángel Asturias (Mr. President), and Augusto Rosa Bastos (I, the Supreme) preceded him in the task.

Vargas Llosa was a fundamental part of the global explosion —the famous boom— of Latin American literature since 1963, when, as a mere twenty-something, he won another prize with The City and the Dogs, the Biblioteca Breve, organized by the Barcelona publishing house Seix Barral. His inspiration came from his own past: his adolescence at the Leoncio Prado Military School in Lima, a sordid place where his father sent him to remove him from the docile orbit of his maternal family.

In fact, the reappearance of his choleric father, whom he believed dead for years, marked the traumatic end to a peaceful childhood spent in Cochabamba (Bolivia) and Piura, in northern Peru. Not surprisingly, the moment of his father’s resurrection was the one the writer chose to open his memoirs, A Fish in the Water, with. He published them in 1993, three years after Alberto Fujimori defeated him in the Peruvian presidential elections.

That political frustration occupies the even-numbered chapters of a long narrative, which is completed in the odd-numbered chapters with the author’s literary and sentimental education: from his first trip to Paris in 1957 thanks to a short story contest to the day he went to a kennel to rescue Batuque, a mutt he had been given. There, he witnessed a scene of animal brutality from which he had to recover in the first coffee shop he found: La Catedral (The Cathedral). In 1969, that episode would open Conversation in The Cathedral, whose first sentence instantly became part of literary history.

That novel was the first he wrote as a professional writer thanks to a decisive figure in his literary career: Carmen Balcells. While living in London since 1966, the novelist and his family scraped by thanks to the literature classes he taught at Queen Mary College when the literary agent offered him a salary from the royalties for that masterpiece in progress. On one condition: that he settle in Barcelona and devote himself exclusively to writing. This is what he did between 1970 and 1974, a period in which he coincided in the Catalan capital with another future Nobel Prize winner, García Márquez, about whom he wrote a landmark study —Story of a Deicide— and with whom he formed a close friendship that was ultimately broken by an unexplained incident that ended with Vargas Llosa giving his colleague a black eye.

Lima, Madrid, Paris, London, and Barcelona form the life map of a man to whom the label of universal writer was suited perfectly. He drew from all sources and participated in all debates. If his literary mentor was Flaubert —from whom he learned that where talent doesn’t get you, effort will— his first ideological reference was Jean-Paul Sartre. In time, he would joke about his youthful nickname —the brave little Sartre— but for years he believed blindly in the writer’s commitment in the manner theorized by the French philosopher. Death has cut short his last literary project: an essay on his work.

In 1971, following the Padilla case, he broke with the Cuban revolution —another of his ardors— and with communism. From then on, his influences blew from the opposite shore: a political liberalism forged by thinkers such as Karl Popper, Isaiah Berlin, and Raymond Aron, which, economically, translated into the neoliberalism of Margaret Thatcher, the figurehead of the conservative revolution that triumphed in the 1980s and had its iconic moment in the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Vargas Llosa recalled more than once, with his characteristic underhanded irony, that in his childhood home, his grandmother Carmen had defined a liberal: “Someone who doesn’t go to mass and who gets divorced.” In one of his last television interviews, recorded for his friend Mercedes Milá’s program, the Peruvian Nobel laureate explained that family was for him a symbol of order, and that his passion was always “adventure.” Indeed, his love life was marked by great passions that developed against all bourgeois conventions: with his aunt Julia, 10 years his senior; with his cousin Patricia, the mother of his three children (Álvaro, Gonzalo, and Morgana); and with Isabel Preysler, whom he married in 2015, when he was 79 years old. They broke up, amid some scandal, in December 2022.

Having won every award possible (from the Cervantes to the Nobel Prize, including the Princess of Asturias, the Rómulo Gallegos, and even the Planeta), Mario Vargas Llosa was a member of the Royal Spanish Academy (seat L), which he joined in 1996 with a speech on Azorín, to which Camilo José Cela responded. In November 2021, he also became one of the “immortals” of the Académie Française despite not having written a single line in the language of Molière. “I secretly aspired to be a French writer,” he said in February 2023 at the beginning of his induction speech at a ceremony attended by King Juan Carlos.

Accustomed from a young age to accumulating awards, he always said his main goal was not to become a statue. In 2019, when it seemed he would no longer write anything worthy of his great novels, he published the superb Harsh Times, based on the CIA’s intervention to overthrow —in 1954 and under false accusations of radical communism— the lukewarm social democratic government of Jacobo Árbenz in Guatemala. The work closes with a paragraph in which Vargas Llosa, a staunch anti-Castro activist, demonstrated that rather than being an enemy of Fidel Castro, he was a friend of the truth. The Guatemalan lesson, he acknowledged, led revolutionary Cuba to ally itself with the Soviet Union to “shield itself against pressure, boycotts, and possible aggression from the United States.” In his opinion, “Cuba’s history could have been different” if the United States had earlier accepted the “modernization and democratization” of Guatemala pioneered by Árbenz. This recognition was one of the last intellectual lessons of an undeniable writer who loved to debate. And who always approached ideological debate without a trace of cynicism.

For him, writing and politics were always two sides of the same coin: that of individual freedom. Even at the expense of social justice. That’s why he concluded his Nobel Prize speech by recalling that “the lies of literature become truths through us, the transformed readers, contaminated by yearnings and, because of fiction, in permanent conflict with mediocre reality.” Reading, he added, instills rebellion in the human spirit: “That’s why we must continue dreaming, reading, and writing, the most effective way we have found to alleviate our perishable condition, to defeat the ravages of time, and to make the impossible possible.” And in his case, something more: to be immortal for his readers.

Bull

WATCH: Runner is air-lifted to hospital after a half-tonne bull tosses him into the air in Spain’s Cadiz

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THIS is the dramatic moment as a bull runner was struck and thrown by a charging bull during a traditional bull-running event in southern Spain this weekend. 

The incident occurred on Easter Sunday during the Toro Embolao in Vejer de la Frontera, a town in the province of Cadiz, when a bull named ‘Orensano’ – weighing 490 kg – collided with a runner on Calle Alta. 

The force of the impact sent the man airborne before the animal fell on top of him.

READ MORE: SPANISH RECIPE: How to make the perfect rabo de toro – the bull’s tail

The injured man suffered serious contusions and had to be carried by bystanders to a nearby ambulance.

Video footage shows the shocking moment the runner was flung into a building and the frantic efforts to get him to safety.

YouTube video

The bull was also catapulted on top of the runner, and then proceeded to run away from the commotion, back down the street.  

Due to the severity of the man’s condition, he was later evacuated by helicopter to the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cadiz. 

His current condition has been described as serious, with a reserved prognosis.

Orensano, from the Salvador Domecq ranch, was reportedly the most aggressive of the three bulls released along the route, which winds between the San Miguel district and La Plazuela.

The Toro Embolao is a longstanding Easter tradition in Vejer, drawing both locals and tourists to its narrow, winding streets each year. 

Despite increased calls for tighter safety measures at such events, they remain a deeply rooted cultural fixture in many parts of Andalucia.

The incident follows chaos just a day earlier in the nearby town of Arcos de la Frontera, where a bull escaped during the Toros del Aleluya festival and attacked spectators.

A woman was seriously injured and at least two others hurt after the 570 kg bull, called ‘Vaporoso’, broke through safety barriers on Saturday.

Footage shared online shows chaotic scenes, with people knocked to the ground and screaming as the bull broke through the barriers and entered the spectator area.

YouTube video

The injured woman was gored by the animal as she lay on the ground and tried to get up, but to no effect. 

She suffered a serious goring to the thigh that reached her femoral artery, and a Guardia Civil officer came to the rescue by applying a tourniquet at the scene. 

She was later operated on in hospital and is now recovering. 

Another two people sustained injuries, including minor fractures caused by the crush of the fleeing crowd.

Furthermore, several children and even elderly people were behind the fences as the incident occurred. 

Despite the scare, Miguel Rodriguez, the town’s mayor, insisted the fencing had been thoroughly inspected beforehand. 

“It’s not normal for this to happen, but in any arena boards can break or unforeseen events can occur,” he said.

Following the incident, the Town Hall reinforced the fencing with additional chains and anchors to prevent further accidents during the ongoing celebrations. 

The mayor pointed out that despite the seriousness of the incident, there was ‘no major tragedy’ to regret.

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Bull

WATCH: Runner Is Air-Lifted To Hospital After A Half-Tonne Bull Tosses Him Into The Air In Spain’s Cadiz – Olive Press News Spain

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THIS is the dramatic moment as a bull runner was struck and thrown by a charging bull during a traditional bull-running event in southern Spain this weekend. 

The incident occurred on Easter Sunday during the Toro Embolao in Vejer de la Frontera, a town in the province of Cadiz, when a bull named ‘Orensano’ – weighing 490 kg – collided with a runner on Calle Alta. 

The force of the impact sent the man airborne before the animal fell on top of him.

READ MORE: SPANISH RECIPE: How to make the perfect rabo de toro – the bull’s tail

The injured man suffered serious contusions and had to be carried by bystanders to a nearby ambulance.

Video footage shows the shocking moment the runner was flung into a building and the frantic efforts to get him to safety.

YouTube video

The bull was also catapulted on top of the runner, and then proceeded to run away from the commotion, back down the street.  

Due to the severity of the man’s condition, he was later evacuated by helicopter to the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cadiz. 

His current condition has been described as serious, with a reserved prognosis.

Orensano, from the Salvador Domecq ranch, was reportedly the most aggressive of the three bulls released along the route, which winds between the San Miguel district and La Plazuela.

The Toro Embolao is a longstanding Easter tradition in Vejer, drawing both locals and tourists to its narrow, winding streets each year. 

Despite increased calls for tighter safety measures at such events, they remain a deeply rooted cultural fixture in many parts of Andalucia.

The incident follows chaos just a day earlier in the nearby town of Arcos de la Frontera, where a bull escaped during the Toros del Aleluya festival and attacked spectators.

A woman was seriously injured and at least two others hurt after the 570 kg bull, called ‘Vaporoso’, broke through safety barriers on Saturday.

Footage shared online shows chaotic scenes, with people knocked to the ground and screaming as the bull broke through the barriers and entered the spectator area.

YouTube video

The injured woman was gored by the animal as she lay on the ground and tried to get up, but to no effect. 

She suffered a serious goring to the thigh that reached her femoral artery, and a Guardia Civil officer came to the rescue by applying a tourniquet at the scene. 

She was later operated on in hospital and is now recovering. 

Another two people sustained injuries, including minor fractures caused by the crush of the fleeing crowd.

Furthermore, several children and even elderly people were behind the fences as the incident occurred. 

Despite the scare, Miguel Rodriguez, the town’s mayor, insisted the fencing had been thoroughly inspected beforehand. 

“It’s not normal for this to happen, but in any arena boards can break or unforeseen events can occur,” he said.

Following the incident, the Town Hall reinforced the fencing with additional chains and anchors to prevent further accidents during the ongoing celebrations. 

The mayor pointed out that despite the seriousness of the incident, there was ‘no major tragedy’ to regret.

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art

Picasso: The Spanish Painter’s Enduring Relationship With Asia – Olive Press News Spain

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PABLO PICASSO’S artworks hang in galleries thousands of kilometres away from his original hometown of Malaga, with several key pieces now adorning the walls of Asian collectors.

His posthumous popularity has been steadily growing in the Asia market, with recent winning bids of his artworks going east. 

“Buste de femme” (1953), a portrait of Picasso’s partner and muse Françoise Gilot, was put up for auction for the first time in 40 years at Sotheby’s in London last month. It sold for £4.3 million to an Asian private collector. 

Picasso’s “Claude et Paloma” also sold for $28.2 million to a Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group in 2013 in New York. 

READ MORE: Reflections: A groundbreaking exhibition at the Alhambra in Spain’s Granada where Picasso meets Jeff Koons

Although he never travelled to Asia himself, people there knew of the Spanish-born artist as early as the 1910s. He mingled with famous Chinese influences throughout his life, including renowned Chinese education reformer Cai Yuanpei, the ‘Picasso of China’ Zhang Daqian, and Ming painter and poet Tang Yin.

Picasso also drew inspiration for some of his artworks from the region. ‘Massacre in Korea’ painted in 1951, is thought to represent his critiquing response to America’s involvement in the Korean War and the resulting violence. 

Picasso Pablo’s critique of the Korean War.

Musashino Art University professor Masayuki Tanaka said Picasso had a connection with Japanese painter Taro Okamoto. 

“Picasso told Okamoto that he possessed several Japanese woodblock prints, and that they were not refined ones, but earlier, more primitive ones,” Tanaka said.

One can see Tang Yin’s influence in the structure and simplicity of the trees in Picasso’s landscape painting view of the French Riviera town Juan-les-Pins. 

Famous Asian artists have in turn been inspired by Picasso. Simon Fujiwara’s “Who vs Who vs Who? A Picture of a Massacre” created last year, references Picasso’s Massacre in Korea and Guernica. 

guernica
AT WORK: Picasso painting Guernica

Chinese ink art master Qi Baishi created his own interpretation of Picasso’s famous dove images in 1952, titled “Peace Dove.” The dove, often seen as a universal symbol of peace, features alongside a vase and lotus flowers in Baishi’s work. The Chinese words for lotus (he) and vase (ping) make heping — the Chinese word for “peace”.

Qi Baishi echoes Picasso’s use of the dove as a symbol of peace.

The ‘Picasso for Asia: A conversation’ at M+ Museum in Hong Kong, is currency showcasing more than 60 Picasso works, on loan from the Musée National Picasso-Paris. The works hang alongside 130 from Asian artists continuing an artistic dialogue. 

But it’s not the first time Picasso’s works have been exhibited in Asia. 

As early as 1913, a local Japanese art journal reproduced his 1909 cubist painting “Woman with a Mandolin.” Six years later, his works were shown in China. 

More recently, in 2010, Hong Kong hosted ‘Modern Masters,’ an exhibition dedicated to modern and impressionist art. Former Sotheby’s International Chair Patti Wong, said this exhibit was a ‘launch pad’ to introduce private sales to buyers in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

The first painting sold in the exhibition was a Picasso. 

Advertising for the latest Picasso exhibition at Hong Kong’s M+ Museum.

British auction house Christie’s sold Picasso’s first artwork on the ground in China in 2013. “Homme assis” sold to a private collector in Shanghai for $1.5 million. 

More than 300,000 visitors passed through the doors of Beijing exhibit ‘Picasso – Birth of Genius’ in 2018, demonstrating the artist’s popularity with the general public too.  A few years earlier, more than 300,000 people also viewed the 226 works brought to South Korea.

Visitors flocking to see the new Picasso exhibition at M+ Museum in Hong Kong. Credit: Juni Yu

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