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