An original collage workshop will commemorate in Córdoba the 900th anniversary of the birth of Ibn Rush, known as Averroes, one of the most influential philosophers of modern thought. The plastic event, open free of charge to all audiences, will be held on June 5 and 6 at the Art School of Design ‘Mateo Inurria’ and Las Fuentes Foundation, whose headquarters are located on Claudio Marcelo Street.
The workshop will be led by artist Beto Val, who specializes in vintage surrealist collage, whose work is widely recognized in international circuits around the world. His collections have been exhibited in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Canada. “Through collage, he works with old scientific illustrations, botanical plates, prints, vintage photographs and other materials drawn from the visual culture of the past,” he notes on his website, “to construct hybrid universes where the human, the animal and the vegetable converge within a singular poetic logic.”
Through his unique collage technique, Ecuadorian artist Beto Val will offer workshop participants the opportunity to delve into the colossal philosophical work of the Cordovan thinker. Averroes was a formidable transmitter of Greek culture, mainly Aristotle, and was several centuries ahead of his time. Persecuted for his heterodox and anti-dogmatic positions, he eventually became a symbol of rationalism and intercultural dialogue.
Beto Val wants to contribute to the Year of Averroes by evoking the figure of the philosopher in two ways: first, by recovering the socio-cultural context of 12th century Cordoba using abstract elements and the historical heritage of Al-Andalus. The second, selecting visual registers to suggest the main ideas of the Averroist philosophy. The organization proposes five fundamental principles of the thinker on which to compose the collage, although participants are free to choose another. The most popular aphorism of Averroes is the following: “Ignorance leads to fear, fear to hatred, and hatred to violence. This is the equation”.
The artistic event has been proposed and designed by Las Fuentes Foundation, which will provide the necessary materials for the workshop. Attendees may bring photographs or any other element of their own if they wish. The collage workshop is organized in five sessions distributed over two days, in morning and afternoon exercises. Registration is free and places are limited. Beto Val has a corporate website with part of his suggestive artistic work and biographical information. For more information, please visit Las Fuentes Foundation website.
