Baire Cartaya Peña is a promoter of the visual arts, who is passionate about the desire to do. His paintings have brightened up several salons, distinguishing themselves by diverse themes and techniques.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- But his work has never been alone, but part of the work done in Las Tunas by the José Martí Art Instructors Brigade (BJM in Spanish), organization to which he has been linked through management positions for 10 calendars and as president for over a year.
The Art Instructor's Day, celebrated last Tuesday, was the pretext to talk with this boy, to whom life has just given the joy of being a father. Achievements and challenges carry on his shoulders the organization that emerged under the aegis of Fidel Castro to develop the vocation and artistic talent of the young vanguard, defender of the aesthetic values of the Cuban people.
- Baire, what are the current challenges of the BJM?
The main challenge is to improve ourselves in every area, since we aspire to acquire a scientific category at the level of our time, with a task that glimpses better and better the Cuban cultural policy. We must work more in the communities because it is there where we are more close to the people. In those spaces, as well as in the schools, in addition to training talent in various artistic manifestations, we must cultivate values useful to society.
Something that hinders the performance of the members is that some directors do not clearly understand what our social function is. This happens especially on student campuses, where we sometimes perform tasks that are not our responsibility. This not only steals from us time and preparation, but it also feeds confusion and disappointment. We have to face this problem, starting from ourselves.
On the other hand, although some have rejoined our ranks since the salary increase, the exodus is still a concern. More than a thousand young people have left the organization and the causes are diverse, but economic interest predominates, especially the search for monetary options in the non-state sector and the attempts of the market.
We are also affected by the fact that, since the School of Art Instructors of Las Tunas was closed five years ago, those interested in the career must go to the province of Granma to study and there are not so many students from Las Tunas who are currently trained there, that affects the renewal of the guild. There are about 600 of us left in the province, but we are working and that is important.
- Let's talk about the achievements of this brotherhood that has already celebrated its 15th anniversary.
The fifteenth years of our brigade's life have not been in vain. We are proud to have achieved the national category of the music-dance group Impacto; to obtain national prizes in the contests De dónde crece la palma (children's plastic art), Cantándole al Sol and Escaramujo; the wide participation in the Cucalambeana Fiesta and the delivery of the 15 Anniversary Distinction to personalities like Anais Ray and institutions that have supported us a lot.
Some of our members have also been part of the Escaramujo record, which compiles well-known works by outstanding authors of the organization in the country. And the municipalities of Jesús Menéndez, Manatí and Puerto Padre stand out in a special way in our work.
- What is the meaning of being an art instructor?
Work and love. It is a work that ennobles and makes us better people. It is gratifying to see how many children with our advice participate in classrooms, get prizes, improve their behavior and become interested in studying at El Cucalambé Professional Art School, in this city. Precisely, one of our strengths is to bring children closer to culture from an early age. You can even surpass yourself in the world of art.
Baire carries his little Keiliana and her eyes shine like never before. He finds in her new reasons to honor the fact that he is among the few inhabitants from Las Tunas who have received the Distinction of Special Recognition, awarded by the José Martí art instructors' brigade.
