.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
D’origine cubaine, Jorge Camacho abandonne ses études de droit à la Havane pour peindre. En 1953, il passe un an au Mexique où accompagné de José Luis Cuevas il s’intéresse à la culture Maya. Deux expositions lui sont consacrées à la Havane en 1955 et 1958, mais ces honneurs ne l’empêchent pas de quitter Cuba pour Paris en 1959. Il rejoint le groupe surréaliste dès son arrivée dans la capitale, rencontre André Breton par l’intermédiaire de son ami Agustin Cardenas. La production artistique de Camacho présente un ésotérisme torturé inspiré de Sade, entre chamanisme et alchimie, André Breton qualifiant son œuvre dans la préface de son exposition de 1964 de « peinture de la cruauté ». Ce dernier lui consacrera un chapitre dans la réédition de Le surréalisme et la peinture en 1965. Se tournant vers la poésie, Camacho illustre et traduit des poèmes de Magloire Saint-Aude, Joyce Mansour ou encore Jean-Pierre Duprey. Travaillant entre Paris et l’Andalousie, jusqu’à sa mort en 2011 Jorge Camacho remarquait avec esprit : « Todo el mundo habla de surrealismo, pero son muy pocos los que lo comprenden » [Tout le monde parle de surréalisme, mais bien peu le comprennent].
Jorge Camacho was born in Cuba, where he studied law in Havana before quitting in order to paint. In 1953, he spent a year in Mexico with José Luis Cuevas and developed an interest in Mayan culture. Two exhibitions of his work were held in Havana in 1955 and 1958, but these honours were not enough to keep him from leaving Cuba and heading to Paris in 1959. He joined the Surrealist group upon his arrival, having been introduced to André Breton by his friend, Agustin Cardenas. Camacho's artistic oeuvre is tortured and esoteric—a blend of shamanism and alchemy, inspired by the writings of Sade. André Breton described Camacho's work in the preface to his 1964 exhibition as “a painting of cruelty.” He dedicated a chapter to Camacho in the 1965 edition of his essay Surrealism and Painting. Camacho later turned to poetry, illustrating and translating the poems of Magloire Saint-Aude, Joyce Mansour and Jean-Pierre Duprey. He was back and forth between Paris and Andalusia, continuing to work until his death in 2011. He once remarked wryly, “Todo el mundo habla de surrealismo, pero son muy pocos los que lo comprenden” [Everyone likes to talk about Surrealism, but very few understand it].
Jorge Camacho was born in Cuba, where he studied law in Havana before quitting in order to paint. In 1953, he spent a year in Mexico with José Luis Cuevas and developed an interest in Mayan culture. Two exhibitions of his work were held in Havana in 1955 and 1958, but these honours were not enough to keep him from leaving Cuba and heading to Paris in 1959. He joined the Surrealist group upon his arrival, having been introduced to André Breton by his friend, Agustin Cardenas. Camacho's artistic oeuvre is tortured and esoteric—a blend of shamanism and alchemy, inspired by the writings of Sade. André Breton described Camacho's work in the preface to his 1964 exhibition as “a painting of cruelty.” He dedicated a chapter to Camacho in the 1965 edition of his essay Surrealism and Painting. Camacho later turned to poetry, illustrating and translating the poems of Magloire Saint-Aude, Joyce Mansour and Jean-Pierre Duprey. He was back and forth between Paris and Andalusia, continuing to work until his death in 2011. He once remarked wryly, “Todo el mundo habla de surrealismo, pero son muy pocos los que lo comprenden” [Everyone likes to talk about Surrealism, but very few understand it].