MARON

“En 1995 fui a Las Palmas y expuse en la galeria Saro Leon, una de las mas prestigiosas galerias de las islas Canarias. Para eso tuve que viajar y llevar los cuadros de Los Angeles a Canarias pasando por Madrid, via Nueva York. El tema de la exposicion fue la serie de alfombras que empeze a pintar en Paris y continue haciendo durante toda la decada de los ochenta y parte de los noventa, esa exposicion era el resultado. Aunque tambien pinte muchos otros cuadros aparte de las alfombras, esta eran parte de una serie sobre el mismo tema. Se podria preguntar porque pintar una alfombra en el suelo y practicamente nada mas, la razon es precisamente para ponerlas en primer plano y no en el fondo como decoracion, y porque son asi algo relegadas cuando en realidad tienen mucho que contar en la historia de la pintura en general, no solo en el arte occidental. Ahora me gustaria narrar un poco la historia, les aseguro que fue una verdadera aventura. Cuando fui de Los Angeles a esas islas en medio del Atlantico cerca de la costa Sahariana, mi querida tierra Canaria, no conocia ni siquiera habia hablado nunca con Saro Leon, solo contaba con la recomendacion de Quico Rivas, importante comisario de exposiciones, que me aseguraba que Saro esta de acuerdo en hacer la exposicion de las Alfombras. Esto lo digo porque aparte de mi nadie sabia nada y si se los dijera tampoco me iban a creer, asi que trate de mantener el proyecto lo mas discretamente posible, solo despues de hablar son Saro, fijado la fecha y empezado los preparativos que fui poniendo los mis mas allegados al corriente. Pero hantes de hablar con Saro pasaron casi dos meses de suspense durante los cuales estuve a punto de perder la la cabeza, pero toda esa historia ya esta escrita y se puede leer en un libro que hice con todas las cartas que le escribia a Willy en Los Angeles y eran diarias. El libro se llama: Viaje a Canarias. Solo decir que gracias a Quico Rivas pude realizar esa exposicion en mi tierra, 30 años despues de Nueva York y para mi mas importante personalmente. Sobre todo por mi madre que ya enferma fue a la galeria donde le hice los honores a puerta cerrada. A Quico Rivas lo conoci en Madrid cuando fui a ver la exposicion homenaje a Alberto Greco, al que conoci en Canarias en el 64 cuando vino invitado por Juan de Prat-Gay. Juan colaboro con Quico en esa importante exposicion que presento en Argentina y Valencia antes de Madrid. Probablemente Juan le hablo favorablemente de mi, y en cierta ocasion Willy invito a Quico a venir a ver mis cuadros, entonces me encargo un retrato de su novia. Por cuestiones de salud Quico se fue a vivir en la isla de La Palma, fue asi que la idea de promover mi exposicion en Canarias surgio. Ahora le paso la batuta a mi hija Alegria. Un saludo a todos;”

English translation

Now in Los Angeles and it was 1995; I was to go do an exhibition in my native land in one of the most prestigious galleries of Canary Islands, in Galeria Saro Leon. For this I had to take the paintings (no easy feat) from Los Angeles to Canary Islands passing by Madrid, via New York. The subject for the exhibition was the series of rugs which I started painting in Paris and continued to do through the 80’s and part of the 90’s, that exhibition was the result. Although I painted many other paintings besides the rugs, these were part of the series of this subject. You could ask, why paint a rug on the floor and practically nothing else; and precisely it is to put them on the forefront and not in the background like decoration, relegated when in reality they have a lot to tell in the history of painting in general, not only in the Occidental art. Now I would like to narrate the story, I can assure you it truly was an adventure. When I went from Los Angeles to the middle of the Atlantic close the Saharan Coast, my beloved Canary land, I did not know nor did I ever speak with Saro Leon; I only had the recommendation of Quico Rivas, important exhibition organizer, who assured me that Saro was on board of the exhibition of the rugs. I tell this because other than myself no one knew anything, and no one would believe me if I told them; so I kept this project very discreet. Only after speaking with Saro, finalizing the date and starting preparations is when I brought those closest to me up to date. But before speaking with Saro 2 moths went by if intense suspense during which time I almost lost my mind, that story has been written in a book of all the diary style letters I wrote to Willy from Canary Islands; The book is called “Viaje a Canarias”

Thanks to Quico Rivas I could come to have an exhibition in my land, 30 years after New York and for me more important personally. Most of all for my already ill mother who I gave special honors before the doors opened to the public. I met Quico Rivas when in Madrid while going to the homage exhibit to Alberto Greco, who I met in Canary in ’64 when he was invited by Juan de Prat-Gay. Juan collaborated with Quico on that important exhibition presented in Argentina & Valencia before Madrid. Juan probably spoke favorably of me to him and at some point Willy invited Quico to come see my work, so he asked me to do a portrait of his girlfriend. Due to his health he went to stay in the island La Palma in Canary. That is how doing the exhibit in Canary Islands came about.

Now I want to briefly tell you about this specific piece which was to be the star of the exhibition and my father spent a year working on…”The Rapture”

this masterpiece never made it to its destination…yes you read correctly, it was stolen! somewhere between Los Angeles and Canary Islands it was taken…heartbreaking.

Invitation to Saro Leon -back

Invitation to Saro Leon – front

Newspaper

The Royal Couple – I recall thsi one very well…beautiful piece, majestic.

Used Carpet

He & Saro.

Very cool newspaper article; reads: A Rug for three (Salvador Maron, Saro Leon & Kiko Rivas)

Commissioned portrait of Saro’s family members

Saro Leon portrait commissioned by her husband who shed a tear when he saw it…

Padre Claret. This is the most prominent religious figure in the Canary Islands. They actually asked for 2 of this portrait as they wanted to hang one in a school so he painted this amazing piece twice exactly the same.

My cousin Angela

my cousin Amado

You can also see what is happening during this time for his other half WIlly if you click HERE

For now my dear friends I keep you in suspense until the next episode…LOVE!