Róger Pérez de la Rocha
Encyclopedia
Róger Pérez de la Rocha (ˈroxer ˈpeɾeð ðelaˈrotʃa; born 27 March 1949, Managua
, Nicaragua
) is a Nicaragua
n painter and portrait artist.
in the Roman Catholic Church
as Róger Antonio. As Pérez himself explains, his name, following the usual practice in Spanish-speaking countries, should actually be Róger Antonio Franco Pérez, but since his father was married to another woman at the time of his birth, he assumed both his mother’s surnames and even added the “de la” to make it sound better.
In 1957, Róger was sent to live with his grandmother, Josefa Rocha, when his mother’s epilepsy
made it impossible for her to care for her son. Josefa Rocha’s alcoholic
husband, Gonzalo Pérez Estrada, was dead, leaving her widowed and needing to work hard for a living, as she had eight children to care for – seven of her own and Róger.
Róger did not see much of his father when he was a boy, and in 1961, Luis Franco Cortés found himself in Cuba, obliged as he then was to spend time in exile.
in Madrid
in 1968. He was director of the Upper School of Fine Arts at the Autonomous University of Nicaragua in León
in 1971. That same year, he joined the Praxis Group, a group of artists centred at the gallery of the same name. It was active from 1963 to 1972.
He was a founding member of the Asociación Sandinista de Trabajadores de la Cultura (ASTC; “Sandinista Association of Workers in Culture”) and director of the Unión Nacional de Bellas Artes (“National Union of the Fine Arts”) once the Sandinistas
came to power in the Nicaraguan Revolution
in 1979. Pérez furthermore completed studies in metal engraving at the Academia de San Carlos in Mexico City
.
From the 1970s and, especially, through the 1980s, working from photographs, Pérez painted a whole series of portraits of Nicaragua’s national hero, Augusto César Sandino
as well as his generals and soldiers, creating a whole Sandinista iconography. A portrait of Sandino can be seen in the background of the video under External links.
He has exhibited with other artists in Panama
, Cuba
, Brazil
, the United States
, Peru
, Spain
, France
, Bulgaria
, the Soviet Union
, Mexico
and Central America
, and alone in Spain, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
and Mexico.
Róger Pérez de la Rocha also had a hand in setting up the artists' colony in the Solentiname Islands
in Lake Nicaragua
.
In 1990 he was honoured with the Orden de la Independencia Cultural Rubén Darío, conferred by the Government of Nicaragua. A retrospective of his work took place at the Rubén Darío National Theatre in 1994.
, which he finally overcame, but not before it had destroyed three marriages. He believes that his work saved him, although he also describes this as yet another addiction.
He has been married five times. His wives have been Marta Luz Padilla, Ángela Saballos, Nelba Cecilia Blandón, Rosa María Sánchez and Luvy Rappaccioli, to whom he is currently married, and with whom he has a daughter, Luisa Margarita del Carmen. He also has a son from his first marriage, Gonzalo Pérez, who is an architect. All Pérez's wives have been Nicaraguan.
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
) is a Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n painter and portrait artist.
Early life
Róger Pérez de la Rocha’s parents were Teresa Pérez Rocha and Luis Franco Cortés. He was baptizedBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
as Róger Antonio. As Pérez himself explains, his name, following the usual practice in Spanish-speaking countries, should actually be Róger Antonio Franco Pérez, but since his father was married to another woman at the time of his birth, he assumed both his mother’s surnames and even added the “de la” to make it sound better.
In 1957, Róger was sent to live with his grandmother, Josefa Rocha, when his mother’s epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
made it impossible for her to care for her son. Josefa Rocha’s alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
husband, Gonzalo Pérez Estrada, was dead, leaving her widowed and needing to work hard for a living, as she had eight children to care for – seven of her own and Róger.
Róger did not see much of his father when he was a boy, and in 1961, Luis Franco Cortés found himself in Cuba, obliged as he then was to spend time in exile.
Career
Pérez entered the National Academy of Fine Arts in Managua in 1964. He continued his studies at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San FernandoReal Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando , located on the Calle de Alcalá in the heart of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery....
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1968. He was director of the Upper School of Fine Arts at the Autonomous University of Nicaragua in León
León, Nicaragua
León is a department in northwestern Nicaragua . It is also the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. It was founded by the Spaniards as Santiago de los Caballeros de León and rivals Granada, Nicaragua, in the number of historic Spanish colonial homes and churches...
in 1971. That same year, he joined the Praxis Group, a group of artists centred at the gallery of the same name. It was active from 1963 to 1972.
He was a founding member of the Asociación Sandinista de Trabajadores de la Cultura (ASTC; “Sandinista Association of Workers in Culture”) and director of the Unión Nacional de Bellas Artes (“National Union of the Fine Arts”) once the Sandinistas
Sandinista National Liberation Front
The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish...
came to power in the Nicaraguan Revolution
Nicaraguan Revolution
The Nicaraguan Revolution encompasses the rising opposition to the Somoza dictatorship in the 1960s and 1970s, the campaign led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front which led to the violent ousting of that dictatorship in 1979, and the...
in 1979. Pérez furthermore completed studies in metal engraving at the Academia de San Carlos in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
From the 1970s and, especially, through the 1980s, working from photographs, Pérez painted a whole series of portraits of Nicaragua’s national hero, Augusto César Sandino
Augusto César Sandino
Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary and leader of a rebellion against the U.S. military occupation of Nicaragua between 1927 and 1933...
as well as his generals and soldiers, creating a whole Sandinista iconography. A portrait of Sandino can be seen in the background of the video under External links.
He has exhibited with other artists in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and alone in Spain, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and Mexico.
Róger Pérez de la Rocha also had a hand in setting up the artists' colony in the Solentiname Islands
Solentiname Islands
The Solentiname Islands are an archipelago towards the southern end of Lake Nicaragua in the Nicaraguan department of Río San Juan...
in Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca or Granada or is a vast freshwater lake in Nicaragua of tectonic origin. With an area of , it is the largest lake in Central America, the 19th largest lake in the world and the 9th largest in the Americas. It is slightly smaller than Lake Titicaca. With an elevation...
.
In 1990 he was honoured with the Orden de la Independencia Cultural Rubén Darío, conferred by the Government of Nicaragua. A retrospective of his work took place at the Rubén Darío National Theatre in 1994.
Personal life
Róger Pérez de la Rocha fought a thirty-year battle with alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, which he finally overcame, but not before it had destroyed three marriages. He believes that his work saved him, although he also describes this as yet another addiction.
He has been married five times. His wives have been Marta Luz Padilla, Ángela Saballos, Nelba Cecilia Blandón, Rosa María Sánchez and Luvy Rappaccioli, to whom he is currently married, and with whom he has a daughter, Luisa Margarita del Carmen. He also has a son from his first marriage, Gonzalo Pérez, who is an architect. All Pérez's wives have been Nicaraguan.