Joaquín Castro Spotlights Canary Islands Talent in New Book

Joaquín Castro San Luis has spent much of his career highlighting the many talented people in the Canary Islands. As part of this effort, the Tenerife-based art critic and curator has just released a new book, Una vida entre personajes (A Life Among Characters). It brings together nearly 60 interviews he did with various cultural figures from Tenerife. These conversations, focusing on culture and creativity, have appeared and still appear in this newspaper, where he also writes a weekly art review.

In an interview with DIARIO DE AVISOS, he explained, "99% of the people I interviewed are from our islands." He stressed, "I think it's important to help islanders get to know these individuals better, so that people in the Canary Islands understand the cultural wealth we have. This includes painters, musicians, singers, writers, sculptors, and others who balance their professional lives with their artistic passions."

The book, Una vida entre personajes, was launched on October 7 at the Real Casino de Tenerife. At the launch, Castro was joined by Francisco Braian Cabrera Alonso, president of the Tu Santa Cruz Cultural Association. Over 200 people filled the main hall of the venue, which was founded in 1840 and is located in Plaza de la Candelaria in Tenerife's capital. Parranda Casino provided a musical performance. All copies of Una vida entre personajes available for sale that evening quickly sold out. Joaquín Castro noted that the book can be bought at Punto Fijo bookstore and will soon also be available at Islátika, both in Santa Cruz.

In the book's introduction, written by Jesús Pedreira Calamita, who is currently vice-president of the Tu Santa Cruz Cultural Association, he states that Joaquín Castro's interviews "show us the artist's most human side." Pedreira Calamita clarifies, "It's not about describing a person's many traits using art history terms. It's about showing the public the life and work of a painter, a sculptor, a musician... A vivid picture of their often difficult beginnings, especially given how remote our Canary Islands are."

Una vida entre personajes is Joaquín Castro San Luis's tenth book. He has also written other titles, including the three-volume Pintura y pintores en Canarias (Painting and Painters in the Canary Islands); Wenceslao Horacio Pulido. Recuerdos de una vida (Wenceslao Horacio Pulido. Memories of a Life); the poetry collections Por los caminos (Along the Paths) and Poemas de recuerdo y añoranza (Poems of Memory and Longing); and Cómo los conocí (How I Met Them).

That last book, Cómo los conocí, is somewhat similar to his new one, as it also features interviews and other writings. In Cómo los conocí, Castro San Luis first shared his conversations with painters. He then explored the lives of various figures, some well-known and others popular, and included interviews with celebrities like writers Almudena Grandes and Espido Freire, and actress Asunción Balaguer.

Speaking about Una vida entre personajes, Joaquín Castro remarked, "I've met people from opera, painting, music, drawing, actors and actresses, poets, writers, sculptors, scientists, animation creators..." He added, "These rich experiences have enriched me and filled my life with all these arts that have touched my heart."

Joaquín Castro explained that the main purpose of this new book is to help people learn more about these individuals "who live among us." The goal is to understand how their lives have developed and continue to develop, and especially to highlight "their art and their craft."

As Jesús Pedreira Calamita notes in his introduction, Castro once again shows his strong desire "to highlight the wide range of important artists across various art forms in the Canary Islands."