ROBERTO DE LA SELVA PANEL
RECORDING AVAILABLE ONLINE
Photo by Janine Garland
Here is our own version of Nicaraguan artist Roberto de la Selva (aka Jay Robaina) standing outside the cottage where he painted murals in the late 1920s. These pictures were taken at Four Centuries in a Weekend in October 2023, and show the cottage as it appears now, after significant renovations by Union County, using grant funding.
Photo by Jay Robaina
Roberto’s ears should have been burning on January 8, 2024, when Scotch Plains Public Library hosted four panelists for a live and Zoom presentation entitled “Rediscovering an Artist: Roberto de la Selva and the Lost Murals at The Deserted Village.” For those of you who were not able to attend either in person or via Zoom, the library has posted the recording of our panel online HERE on YOUTUBE.
Each of the panelists got very excited about our assigned topic. Dan Bernier, who not only works for Union County but lives at the village, gave a thumbnail history of the village and pictures of the annual events there. Anyone I have talked to since, who hasn’t already visited the place, is now desperate to do so. My cousin particularly wants to attend the Haunted Hayride. He also showed before and after photos of the recent renovation of the exterior of the murals cottage.
As I prepared for my portion of the panel, I discovered that whatever source I had previously relied on, which suggested that Roberto had come to this area at the time of painting the murals because his brother Salomón, a famous poet, was teaching at Columbia University, was wrong. This theory, which seemed so neat, is reflected in the brochure I wrote on Roberto, found online HERE. Turns out that instead it was Roberto’s brother Rogerio and a very colorful joint enterprise, having nothing to do with making art which brought Roberto to the New York City area. You will have to watch the video to find out what that was. Hint, it was during Prohibition in the United States.
Dr. Alejandro Anreus, Professor Emeritus from William Paterson University, reminded us of the importance—then and now—of the Mexican Mural movement of the Twentieth Century. We tend to forget this, and think of things south of the border as simply folk art. And–did Diego Roberto create a controversy simply to enhance his fame? Listen to Alejandro explain the style and impact of the three most well-known Mexican muralists of the time, especially in the context of their revolutionary leanings.
I always love listening to Ron Burkard, whose search for Roberto de la Selva and his surviving art has all the makings of a detective story. Ron has long been Roberto’s biggest fan and helped arrange recent major exhibitions of his work. I envy Ron for getting to live with Roberto’s art every day at his home, since in the course of his investigations he has collected more than 30 of Roberto’s bas-reliefs and busts.
I hope you enjoy the recording.