Frida Kahlo Inspires Cuba's Great Book Artist

Con duro polvo de óleo [With the Hard Dust of Oil Paint]

Estévez, Rolando

Publication: Bellamar, Matanzas, Cuba: Ediciones El Fortín, 2014.

Notes: A poem, inspired by the author's trip to Mexico, bound in cardboard covers decorated with a handcolored portrait of the artist Frida Kahlo with a mounted artist's paint brush. The text of the poem is laser printed on white paper. The book, designed by the author, has handcolored and collage illustrations inside and a bookmark made for this production. Estevez (1953–2023) co-founded Ediciones Vigía, the acclaimed artist's book collective in Cuba. For the last ten years of his life, he pursued more personal projects, like this one, under the El Fortín imprint.

OCLC describes the book as follows: Edition of 50 hand-made artists' books... Bound in cardboard; the front cover is a hand-painted portrait of artist Frida Kahlo with added collage elements (cutouts of painted flowers, a cork crescent moon, a cloth ribbon, and an artist's paint brush) and the words: Vida dolor [Life / Pain]. Hand-painted cutouts, craft paper and colored tissue paper are used for decorations within the book. Also includes a painted bookmark. "Esta edición de Con duro polvo de óleo de Rolando Estévez Jordán consta de cincuenta ejemplares totalmente realizados a mano por Ediciones El Fortín en su colección Puente de la Plaza, se usaron para esta edición, papel craff, cartulina, papel estampado y de china, así como tela de cambaya, madera y papel de corcho. Trabajamos en ella : Héctor Hernández, Ivis Arias, Samuel Hernández, Maricel Ruiz, Marialva Ríos, Daniel Rodríguez y Rolando Estévez. Ciudad de Bellamar, Cuba, 2014 - Diciembre- El Fortín."—Colophon [Craft (sic, Kraft) paper, cardboard, patterned and Chinese paper, as well as cambaya cloth, wood and cork paper were used for this edition.] F.K. and R.E. initials of Frida Kahlo and Rolando Estevez respectively, are decorative motifs.

[11] pages. 7 by 10-1/2 inches, plus outcroppings on the cover. One of 50 copies. Colección Puente de la Plaza.

Edition + Condition: Fine. Not numbered.

Item No: #363368

Price: $750