The course, held from Tuesday to Thursday, has been a resounding success, generating significant satisfaction among participants. Attendees had the opportunity to learn directly from Tita do Rêgo Silva, a visual creator, printmaker, and artist's book editor, originally from Brazil and based in Germany.
Silva, who moved to Hamburg in 1988, emphasized the significance of teaching at Emilio Sdun's museum-workshop, whom she knew from her time in the German city. The artist describes the space as "very special" and comparable to "coming home," as she also has a workshop with typefaces and prints.
Tita do Rêgo Silva's work primarily focuses on woodcut, a technique she employs in large formats with motifs from her fantastic repertoire. She also creates installations and altars exploring Brazilian religious syncretism and cultural identity issues, as well as panels with cut-out woodcut figures. She has held numerous solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums across Europe and participates in interdisciplinary projects and artist's book fairs.
During the course, Silva "improvised" to foster creativity, sharing her personal experience and encouraging students to experiment with various illustration techniques. She highlighted the workshop's extensive possibilities as a source of inspiration for both herself and the students, showcasing examples of her work, such as a book created in her studio with simple images and texts by a writer.
The artist considers it crucial that the University of Almería offers such courses, which raise the profile of art and bring it closer to society. The course directors, Adoración Sánchez and Antonio Alcaraz, focus on artists who combine typography and experimental editing. This year's theme centered on the revival of traditional printmaking technologies, such as relief printing and typography.
In addition to Tita do Rêgo Silva, the course featured theoretical presentations by the Valencia-based publisher Media Vaca, known for its distinctive and award-winning books, and by David Heras from the Faculty of Fine Arts of Valencia, who oversees the Illustration and Design degree at the Polytechnic University.
