Evocation to Charles Chaplin from Art, Science and Nature

By: María Carla Gárciga

Seventeen watercolors that discover Chaplin’s links to nature, make up the Chaplin y flora (Chaplin and flora) art exhibit by artist Duporté, inaugurated within the context of Chaplin Festival, at El reino de este mundo art gallery, located in Cuba’s National Library.

The art exhibition was attended by young actress Oona Chaplin, granddaughter of the famous filmmaker, who confessed to be excited, for being the first time the relationship between her grandfather and nature is shown. In this regard, she said: “This is a very important exhibition, since nobody had ever done this connection, so I am very pleased to watch this flower exhibition along with my grandpa's comments. The artist is an excellent maestro and I love you have used the watercolor technique”.

Drawing, writing and science join to this exhibit, a result of a careful study of its author on Chaplin's diaries, to take out fragments related to nature. “There is a different text in every painting. The vegetal element which drew Chaplin's attention had to appear graphically as one more painting, so I reproduce here what he saw”, explained the artist.

The writing is completed with strawberry and lemon watercolors, several types of flowers, apples and oranges, a result of Duporte's work for over 50 years, devoted to plants’ drawings. Resembling an old book of Botanics, the artist adds bibliographic references to the type of painted plant, its scientific name and place of origin.

Journalist Magda Resik in her welcoming words, praised Duporté’s scientific knowledge, talent and sensitivity, for being able to handle a complex and, at times, underestimated ancient technique such as watercolor, an element used by the artist to revere the value of nature.

“Duporté invites us to a finding, because many of you will be amazed at how many times Chaplin places flower as a necessary element to describe an environment. The evocations made from the close relationship with her mother are especially touching, where a flower had always its space, as, amid poverty, flowers were the surviving and security resource which later made of this man the exceptional film genius we all admire”, concluded Resik.

Source: Cubarte