Modern Tango World N° 11 (Paris, France) | Page 32

As a young adult, he did decide to take a few art courses
to learn more about the true craft of drawing and painting,
but it was never formal training.
He draws upon the imagery of his past for his painting,
his father his inspiration. He was the cool guy outside
the nightclubs and bordellos in Fabian’s images. And the
women are his memories of those he saw in his fa-
ther’s brothels and nightclubs, with their somber mood,
brooding thoughts and intense sensuality emanating
from his canvases.
For several years after his parents died, his mother died
when he was sixteen, his father when he was nineteen.
After that, he lived as a gypsy. The sadness and despair he
experienced left him confused and searching for answers.
It was in martial arts that he found an inner strength. He
immersed himself in the discipline.
Alone and struggling to take care of himself, he began to
teach karate while living in martial arts studios or friends’
homes. It was then that he crossed paths with a Japa-
nese karate master, Oscar Higa, who became his teacher,
mentor, friend and father figure. For a while, Fabian spent
time in Rio, living the life of a nomad, finding refuge on
warm beaches. Then he collected himself, deciding to fol-
low Oscar to Italy. It was there, in the town of Padova
outside Venice, that he began his career as an artist.
What painting means to me is that I escape from
the world I don’t like. I feel so comfortable doing it.
European tourists liked his work, and he began having
small exhibitions. He spent his time painting and teaching
martial arts, the latter to support himself. His dream was
to become a karate master.
After seven years in Italy, where he traveled frequently,
giving martial arts exhibitions, he moved to Japan and
continued to teach karate, not realizing that martial arts
would become such an influence in his painting tech-
nique and, indeed, in his life’s path.
Inspired by the Shodo, he utilized this influence to com-
bine figurative and abstract styles. Shodo is often prac-
ticed by Samurais and Buddhist monks. It is as much a
discipline as an art form.
With Shodo, one sits on the floor with a sheet of
rice paper, a brush and Chinese ink. The artist be-
gins to concentrate and, when he feels ready or the
urge strikes, he starts to paint. When a stroke is
made on the paper, the artist cannot turn back. If
he is unhappy with what he has created, he must
start all over. Even when I’m going backward and
forward with my colors, the important thing is the
determination of each stroke.
Today, Fabian lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, Luciana
and his three children. She is in many of his paintings.
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