SAGITARIUS/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Sagitarius/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in./2009.

SCORPIO/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Scorpio/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in./2009.

LIBRA/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Libra/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in./2009.

VIRGO/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Virgo/acrylic and ink on paper/7x5in/2009.

LEO/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Leo/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

CANCER/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Cancer/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

GEMINI/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Gemini/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

Merry Christmas

TAURUS/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Taurus/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

ARIES/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/2010

Cepp Selgas/Aries/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

PISCES/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Pisces/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 13

OJONET'S

Mi querido amigo René Cifuentes me ha enviado esta bella curiosidad óptico-cinética como regalo visual por mi cumpleaños; y aquí con ustedes la comparto.
Muchas gracias Renesito.

ACUARIUS/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Acuarius/acrylic and ink on paper/5x7in/2009.

CAPRICORN/Jadite Galleries/Jan.5-30/NYC/2010

Cepp Selgas/Capricorn/acrylic and ink on paper/7x5in/2009.

¿Premonición para Cuba en 1959 o vieja leyenda?

Selgas / Sobre el bien, el mal y una isla / Acrylic on canvas / 60"x96" / 1999.

“…pero un día la felicidad huyó...se cerraron misteriosamente los caminos de Cuba. Okurri Borokú, diablo cruel y caprichoso, celoso de la dicha de los hombres embrujó la libertad hechizó la isla…”
Cuenta una ancestral leyenda Afrocubana que un ser diabólico llamado Okurri Borokú (Algunos creen que es Echú, un camino oscuro de Elegguá), cerró todos los caminos de Cuba. La única forma de lograr abrirlos era si alguien podía tocar el tambor batá por más tiempo que el diablo podía bailar sin cansarse. Los Ibeyis (jimaguas) se juntaron y engañaron al diablo turnándose en el tambor, mientras que Okurri en su danza no alcanzaba a verlos. Y así fue que Okurri Borokú extremadamente fatigado por la interminable danza, finalmente cae fulminado al suelo. Los caminos se abrieron nuevamente, gracias a la sabiduría y perseverancia de los Orisha-hermanos. Sus análogos católicos son San Cosme y San Damián.
Premonition for 1959' Cuba or Legend?
Okurri Boroku, an evil being (some believe him to be a dark side of Eleggua), closed all the pahts of Cuba. The only way to get them open again was to find someone who could play de Bata drums for a longer time than Okurri could dance. The Ibeyis (twins) teamed up and fooled the devil by taking turns at playing the drums. Okurri, exhausted, fell on the ground. The paths were once again opened, thanks to the wisdom and perseverance of the Orisha-brothers. Their catholic analogous are marthyrs Saint Cosme and Saint Damian.

CEPP SELGAS / The 13th Sign / Recent Works

Jadite Galleries
413 W. 50th st. NYC 10019
p.212.315.2740 f.212.315.2793
Tue.-Sat. 12-6

Jadite.com

CEPP SELGAS

The 13th Sign

January 5-30

Openings:
Tuesday, January 5th 6-8 pm.
&
Wednesday 13th 6-8 pm.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 11

OJONET'S

Dear Santa: Define good.

Save Santa the trip, just be naughty.

QuoteCrave.net

BABALU AYE / San Lazaro

Cepp Selgas / Promises – Babalú / Acrylic on canvas / 60" x 72" / 2000.
Babalú (the protagonist of my painting above) was the first Orisha (African deity) that made the most long lasting crossover in USA culture, thanks to the I love Lucy show with Ricky Ricardo's infamous song Babalú in the early years of television -a little more that half a century ago. This song still very well known by practically every American today. Every body knows the song but only a few know what the Afro-Cuban Orisha it's all about: Babalú is the Yoruba equivalent of the biblical Saint Lazarus. Although Ricky Ricardo's rendition of it made him famous, another Cuban Miguelito Valdés’ version is by far superior:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj6KhQfpjOo&feature=PlayList&p=C3E3DEA765CF5656&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 10

OJONET'S

Your life is made up of years that mean nothing, and moments that mean it all.

Anonymous-QuoteCrave.Net

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 9

OJONET'S
El viernes pudimos ver en la Casa Bacardí del Instituto de Estudios Cubanos y Cubano Americanos de la Universidad de Miami, la presentación digital del portafolio biográfico de Víctor Gómez, A Masterful Journey/Viaje magistral, por el curador Gustavo Valdés, quien actualmente colabora con el Arts Atelier en París, junto a Zoé Valdés y Ricardo Vega...
http://www.elnuevoherald.com/entretenimiento/olga-connor/story/604535.html

Speaking of Caprices

Mirroring the paintings’ behavior in Zoe Valdés' new book Una novelista en el museo del Louvre my diptych Virgo, made a trip to sunny Miami where it was exhibited at Agustin Gainza Arts. The paintings which took a break from the cold winter of NYC will return just in time to be shown at Jadite Galleries in midtown Manhattan in next January.

SANTA BARBARA / SHANGO

Cepp Selgas/Shango Blood and Milk/acrylic on canvas/60"x72"/2000.

The great Andres Serrano has a photograph which it's just the picture of two rectangular containers; one with filled blood and the other with milk. That striking image has haunted me since I first saw it at the New Museum of New York in the mid-eighties . It happens that when I was trying to conceive a painting representing Shango, for my show Los hijos de los Dioses, back in 2000 for Agustin Rivero Gallery in Coral Gables; my Shango Blood and Milk became an homage to such Serrano's masterful photograph.
Some believe that the white accent in Shango's red cloth represents the symbol of his mother's milk: Obbatala. And of course the color red symbolizes blood; the warrior's blood or War it self.

THANKSGIVING

With time I have come to understand the celebration of Thanksgiving as the equivalent of Violeta Parras' Gracias a la vida.
I’m also aware of how lucky I have been throughout all my life for having some very special friends. In this great country I learned the concept of the friend who is willing to go "the extra mile".
Going back to memory land, I remember a few that fit in this category; some who fought battles for me such as my dear art teacher and a monster of Cuban art Antonia Eiriz, my psychologist and humanist Alberto Edreira, and the Cuban "micro universe" that was Samuel Feijoo.
I have lived long enough in the USA to have gained long lasting, "extra mile" kind of friendships in this my adopted country: my dear Margaret Hoh "Peggy", former manager of the AKC Gazette, and Gustavo Valdés -who when I lost Ernesto- stood by me and who is my “partner in crime”... in all criminal acts of art.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Gustavo to the Rescue

Gustavo Valdés found and purchased this drawing of mine from eBay and gave it to me for my birthday last year. This piece was part of Samuel Feijoo's private collection and was never published in Signos Magazine. The title on the back reads: Estudio, trabajo y fusil (Study, work, and riffle). Well, if you look closely, this gun is too short to be a riffle, it is more like a pistol...the perfect weapon for suicides. So the new tittle is: Estudio, Trabajo y Suicidio / ink on paper / 1975.

Andy to the Rescue

Cojimar,1975 / Signos / Samuel Feijoo' collection.

I thank my friend Andy; the former owner of Gallery21 in Newark, for finding and buying from eBay this Blast from the Past. And best of all for giving it to me as a present.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Adela.

TUTTI FRUTI / No.4

Pineapple

TUTTI FRUTI / No.3

Papaya

TUTTI FRUTI / No.2

Banana...Cuba (ja!)

TUTTI FRUTI / No.1

Mango

CEPP SELGAS / Recent Works

AGUSTIN GAINZA / presents

CEPP SELGAS / Recent Works

"I Love..." / No. 4

Last so far.

"I Love..." / No. 3

One more to come.

"I Love..." / No. 2

Two more to come.

"I Love..." / No. 1

I Love... is my new series of small format ink and acrylic on paper: 7x7 inch sq.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 6

OJONET'S
http://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/blogs/zoe-en-el-metro/2009/11/13/una-mujer-se-muere-lo-que-
no-importa-a-nadie/

http://habanemia.blogspot.com/

http://moebio.com/santiago/dualism/

http://users.win.be/W0005164/Roberto/Costumes/costumes_index.htm

2012 / The Show

Cancer, 1975/Signos magazine/Cuba,1976.

Ophiuchus, 2009.

In the early 70s I began to work on The Zodiac. My idea was to complete all 12 signs. While I have done many, never got to do them all. In the next two month I will turn 58 and will exhibit at Jadite Galleries, NYC for the first time all 12 signs plus Ophiuchus, the infamous 13th sign.

Every 26,000 years, Ophiuchus appears; this time around in the midst of enigma and controversy.

Some believe it would mark the end of humankind, as proposed in the new movie 2012, to be released tomorrow.

I believe it would mark the birth of a new era; reason why I represent Ophiuchus in the shape of the digital sign "@".

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

This picture is twenty years old and it was taken by Ernesto Briel. We wanted to be part of History in the making. Being from Cuba and all; we really deserved it.

Ernesto Briel & the Geometric Abstraction

Ernesto Briel / Cuba, 1943 / USA, 1992.

BRIEL' CD ROM is OUT!

November 7 marks the 66th birthday of the late Cuban master Ernesto Briel. E. Briel has been credited with being one of the first to produce (and introduce) Op Art in Cuba, in the 1960s. To celebrate this anniversary, art historian and independent curator Gustavo Valdes has released a CD ROM dedicated to the life and work of this distinguished artist. The volume contains an essay authored by Valdes along with years of critical acclaims and reviews, a detailed curriculum vitae, a large inventory of the artist’s career through images of Briel’s oeuvre and personal photos of his travels and exhibitions. Those interested in acquiring a copy may contact Gustavo Valdes at arsatelier@aol.com

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 5

OJONET'S

http://bdieguez-photography.blogspot.com/

http://earthandskyphoto.blogspot.com/2007/09/rho-ophiuchus-in-color.html

http://parquedelajedrez.blogspot.com/2009/11/cibercutara.html

http://ichaso.blogspot.com/2009/10/first-hand-commentary-agony-and-ecstasy.html

CEPP SELGAS / The 13th Sign / Recent Works

Ophiuchus is coming soon to Jadite Galleries, January, 2010.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 2

Con 3 expos y muy poco tiempo; I'm all eyes on my art.
Me he inventado OJONET'S:

http://heribertopenthouse.blogspot.com/2009/10/juanita-castro-y-sus-hermanitas-o.html
http://zoevaldes.net/2009/11/01/revelaciones-en-cubahumor-de-alfredo-pong/
http://eufratesdelvalle.blogspot.com/2009/11/prevencion-ante-el-virus-h1n1.html
http://el-guama.blogspot.com/2009/10/vida-socialista-hoy-el-libro-de-juanita.html
Con un par de OJONET'S...asunto resuelto. Have a good day.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / No. 1

Con selgasArt quise hacer una especie de Blog-Dossier de lo que el artista pinta; pero después de la entrevista con El Imparcial Digital; la cosa pinta como para... ¿Y el animal habla?

Espacio Bi-Tongo:

Nada que ver con el que le dió a Bolondrongo.
En la escuela más bien los Bolondrongos le pegaban al Bitongo.
Suerte que los Bolondrongos ignoraban que estos chicos raros tenían dos lenguas...la cosa hubiera sido un poquito más sangrienta.
Mi intención es principalmente apelar a un término mal usado en nuestra Babilonia tropical, y para colmo injusto.
Así que en lengua "USA-castellanotropical"; quiero agradecerles a todos la bienvenida dada a mi blog; muy de esperar si te lanza la mismísima Zoé Valdés. Lucky boy!

En orden analfabético gracias a: Eufrates, Zoe, Natacha, Diana y Gustavo...for the basics.
Y muchas gracias a , David Lago, Alen Lauzan, Guama, Alfredo Pong, Iris Wirth, Belkis Cusa Male, Charly Bravo, Turandot, Aguaya, Frida Masdeu, Taoro, Troglo, Jecuevas, El tinajon, July del Rio, Olga, Tonino, Liborio, Garrincha, Chiquititacubana, Miobe, los varios anonimos y a otros amigos y familiares via email.

HABLANDO BLOGUERIAS / Coming soon

"Hablando Bloguerias" it's going to be my "BiTongo" sidebar to make my bloglife easier.

El Imparcial Digital / Eufrates del Valle / Interview

A set of wonderful Natacha Herrera's pictures, will lead you through a very recent interview I gave to Eufrates del Valle, from El Imparcial Digital. It is kind of a survivor' tale that took place in the same land so masterfully depicted by the Cuban poet David Lago in "Los sonidos del silencio".(The Sounds of Silence).
Thanks to Zoe Valdes for all her support at; http://zoevaldes.net/2009/10/29/eufrates-del-valle-entrevista-a-cepp-selgas/

And recently;

http://el-guama.blogspot.com/2009/10/mira-todo-esto.html ; all my gratitude.

Cuban Yin and Yang

I frequently use images with a double meaning.

For my upcoming show at Ars Atelier in March 2010, I will present nine paintings, three of them with a pattern I call "Cuban Yin and Yang", an idea that simplifies the shape of two Cubas; one is correctly oriented, the other is upside down like the actual "wrong and right" perception of Cuban reality.
I immensely thank Zoe Valdes for giving me her support through our twenty years of friendship. Thanks also to my new friend Eufrates, and Liborio, Frida Masdeu, David Lago and Iris Wirth for the positive comments.

http://zoevaldes.net/2009/10/22/jesus-cepp-selgas-2/

Paris, France / October 16, 2009

My bookcover for David Lago's poems, on the first poetry event at Ars Atelier.

http://heribertopenthouse.blogspot.com/2009/10/ars-atelier-paris-16-de-octubre-de-2009.html

http://zoevaldes.net/2009/10/20/la-rueda-bohemia-con-david-lago-gonzalez/