Guy Fawkes was an educated man and he would have appreciated that this book was launched on the Fifth of November the date he is commemorated, the two artists even got fireworks all over London, thrown in! 

Dreamer By Ricardo Cinalli for Zacarías,  illustrated book of poems

The artisanal quality of the book makes it a work of art in itself and lovely to handle and read. The book was launched at the Argentine Embassy in the presence of the two Ambassadors: Mariana Plaza, Ambassador of Argentina and Ignacio Higueras, the Ambassador of Perú and opened by the Cultural, Press and Public Diplomacy Attaché of the Argentine Embassy, Minister Gonzalo Ortíz de Zárate.  The event was very well attended, with exceptional Argentine empanadas and Argentine wines afterwards that were appreciated by everyone. 

Gabriel Nuñez del Prado, Corina J Poore. Ricardo Cinalli, Enrique D. Zattara and Cultural Attaché Gonzalo Ortiz de Zárateat the book launch.

Enrique D. Zattara introduced the poet with a detailed analysis of the subject matter and carefully observed details on the poetry style used, according to the stanzas and the number of syllables per line.  The poet Gabriel Nuñez del Prado was born in Lima 1988 but considers himself to be from Cuzco. He previously published a novel “Cristóbal” (York Tower Press) that has enjoyed success in Perú and many other countries.  The book is written in a lyrical poetic prose taking into account his Peruvian heritage, so that there are sections in various tongues, be they Quechua, Latin, English, or European-Andean including Spanish.  The author, Nuñez del Prado plays with the multitude of these colonial languages to full effect on the migrant theme, also given his singular knowledge of seven languages. 

Ricardo Cinalli, painter, Ignacio Higueras, Peruvian Ambassador and poet Gabriel Nuñez del Prado

The novel avoids a typical linear narrative. It is divided into 53 separate tales, or meditative fragments that build a picture. In a sense a homage to all those who have migrated to the country, the book opens with the death of a British man called Cristóbal and written in the form of a letter to his mother pointing out that repatriation delays of his body are due to bureaucracy.  There are strong references to religion, Andean beliefs mingled with a certain level of esoteric enigma and a universe of symbols and prophesy There is a quote from the prophetic words of the Archangel Gabriel, and throughout the book in various of the stories, there is the recurring echo of the voice of an angel, with its enigmatic suggestions. This book at its core is not a typical novel but, in a sense, behaves more like poetry. It refers to Lima, the capital of Perú as a secret Andean symbolic place, the city of the mestizo with his marginalized existence, creating spectres and a personal iconography.   

Now with the book of poems called ‘Zacarías’, Nuñez del Prado once again touches on themes of death and religion, as well as the power of dreams, prophecies and premonitions, sop much so that almost all the poem’s titles include the word ‘Dream’, such as ‘Dream of the Morrow,’ ‘Incessant Dream’ or ‘Secret Dream’, to mention a few. 

‘Zacarías, 

Recuerda el moment

Irremediable

En que los dioses olvidaron la causa

Del desastre

Y callaron así

Mordiendo el viento

Que se filtra en los sueños de las aves’.

Zacarías, remember this unredeemable moment / When the gods forgot the cause for the disaster /  And falling silent, were biting the wind that filtered through the dreams of birds. (From the Poem ‘Zacarías’) (Improvised translation)

Angel by Ricardo Cinalli for 'Zacarias'

The final poem is titled “The Words of the archangel”: -   

“De Díos cerca no estás

Todoes estamos lejos de Él, por igual.”

We are not close to God, / We are all far from Him, equally.  (improvised translation) 

Enrique D. Zattara, Corina J Poore, poet Gabriel Nuñez del Prado and painter Ricardo Cinalli.

Corina J Poore of Latino Life Magazine introduced the renowned painter, Ricardo Cinalli. He is best known for his massive murals of rebellious giants, Pegasus and centaurs in a universe of gods.   Now in these delicate illustrations,  Cinalli has drawn portraits of dreamers to accompany these lyrical poems, Ricardo Cinalli used a technique of hard line contrasting with a softer charcoal to create the depth and sculptural quality with a chiaroscuro effect. They were first created when Ricardo’s sister sent him a sketch book and he decided to start filling the pages with a series of portraits using this new technique.  

'Dream of the Potter' by Gabriel Nuñez del Prado with dreamer by Ricardo Cinalli.

Having been friends for many years, and often used to exchange ideas, Ricardo sent copies of some of these recent portraits to Gabriel. When Gabriel saw them, they immediately appealed to him when he noticed that they were dreaming, so he suggested to Ricardo they could be used as illustrations in the book of poems he was working on. It seems this collaboration was fated in the stars, as it turns out both Ricardo and Gabriel coincide in a number of their passions in which mythology in particular, features strongly, combined with themes of death, dreams, prophesies and premonitions. 

The result has been this delightful artisanal and hand-crafted book. The choice of quality paper coupled with a limited edition of 220 has meant that this book is as much an objet d’art as it is a book of illustrated poems.

ZACARÍAS

Poems by  Peruvian Gabriel Nuñez del Prado

Illustrations by Argentine Ricardo Cinalli

‘Cristóbal’ by Gabriel Nuñez del Prado (York Tower Press 31/05/2024) is available online (ISBN: 1068661097 / 9781068661099).

‘Zacarías’ by Gabriel Nuñez del Prado and Ricardo Cinalli is in a private limited edition pressed by  Gomer Press Ltd and some copies may still available.

Event photographs by Sofía Pastor Herranz.