ENERO DE 2018
Eudoro Lolo Silvera
“ He was one of Panama’ s greatest painters and cartoonists. He even had exhibitions abroad. Now, the country loses an emblematic artist”, said writer Guillermo Sánchez Borbón, regarding Silvera’ s death.
Silvera was born in May 7, 1916, in David, Chiquirí Province, and died at the age of 94, April 26, 2010. Some say he graduated from Instituto Nacional with a bachelor’ s degree in Science and Letters. He also drew with Roberto Lewis and Francisco Vallarino in Escuela Nacional de Pintura.
“ Roberto Lewis was a stubborn. He was always in a bad mood. He often discouraged those who didn’ t have the talent needed to be part of his group of‘ chosen ones’. I think he never thought I was talented. I was never part of his selected group. He worshipped Ivaldi, as well as a woman whose name I can’ t recall.”
He was linked to the weekly newspaper Mundo Gráfico in the 30’ s,“ I was paid $ 2 for my first tabloid cover cartoon”.
Silvera never took a break; he continued studying Music and Arts in Cooper Union, and Julliard, both in NY. He performed at several concerts as a tenor voice in 1942. After that, some say he quitted singing and went fully on painting, but continued performing at churches in order to make a living.
He lived almost a decade in New York, where he did 3 solo exhibitions from 1947 on. He was always traveling but came back to Panama. Back then, in 1952 President José Remón Cantera imposed a severe form of government.
Silvera drew several cartoons published in Arias Madrid’ s fami- ly journals Panamá América and La Hora, where Lolo criticized directly the most-known socio-political facts at the time.
However, he didn’ t quit fine arts. He studied engraving and lithography in Munich, with a scholarship from the Federal Republic of German, in 1962. He had an exhibition in Paris.
He was also very committed to any kind of cultural, artistic, and musical meetings in the cities. His articles and cartoons are published and wellknown in Panama and abroad. Since the 90’ s, Silvera is considered as the Father of Cartoons in the country. To honor him, every 7th May the“ cartoonist day” is celebrated.
“ I’ m thinking about quitting, but I’ m going to keep painting and writing. I’ m also going to keep fighting against anything wrongful in our society in order to be united as free people.” He was in process of editing a collection of all his cartoons in a book before he passed away.
“ My job as a cartoonist is far way more important than my painting career”, Silvera reckoned.“ I’ ll tell you why: you can dedicate your life to art, but at the end, since art is a way of escaping and a therapy, it will inevitably put you away from reality. That is not as admirable as facing the powers that destroy our country: militaries, corrupted politicians, and so on. I’ ve spent most of my life doing it. It’ s my right as a Panamanian.”
“ The New York Times and current Newsweek Magazine’ s critiques have compared Silvera’ s paintings to Tamayo’ s and Picasso’ s, emphasizing similar techniques in the 3 artists, without being a copycat of the Spanish painter”, Adriano Herrerabarría wrote.
Silvera’ s paintings have been gladly received by the Paris Soir, Le Monde y L’ Humanitè critiques. Moreno Galván, Spanish, also salutes Silvera’ s artworks, comparing him with Tamayo, Lam, Guayasamín, and others.
Indeed, this cartoonist, artist, and writer passed away, but he left his works as a legacy for Panama and the rest of the world.
He published a book: Cuentos
A partir del 1ro de Diciembre
en en primera persona singular( Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, 2004), obtaining a honorable mention in Rogelio Sinán Central-American Literature Award 2003-2004. He also won other prizes: 2nd place in Concurso Internacional Sinfonía de París, in Bogota 1950. 1st and 2nd place in Ricardo Miró’ s painting contest, and last but not least, the Rogelio Sinán Central-American Literature Award in 2002-2003, by his unpublished novel, El doctor.
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2do Piso Frente a Cinépolis
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