In August 2012, the town of Borja (Zaragoza, Spain) and the Ecce Homo in its Sanctuary of Misericordia made the news after the restoration that Cecilia Giménez, a painter and local resident, carried out on the small mural that the Spanish painter Elías García Martínez (1858 – 1934) made at the end of the 19th century. It hasn't even been a year, but Cecilia's work was so remarkable worldwide that in that time the Sanctuary of Borja has received around 61,000 visits.
Among the various proposals the Borja Residents' Association has for improving different aspects of their town, they came up with the idea of creating the Cecilia Giménez International Painting Competition, which closed its submission period a month ago and in which painters from all over the world took part (the rules were translated into English and Japanese).
On 27 April, in the Sanctuary itself, the jury announced its decision and the winning artwork was Ecce Homo, retrato espiritual by the artist Ernest Descals Pujol. The winning artwork will have a privileged spot in the Sanctuary and afterwards it will become part of the collection to be held by the first museum in the world dedicated to the Ecce Homo, another project by the residents of the now famous Aragonese town. What's more, the funds raised will go to the study of severe disabilities and to helping people affected by these conditions.
At Artelista we're delighted to have the artwork of Ernest Descals, who very kindly sent us a description of the artwork that won the competition and answered a few questions about it and about taking part.
For me, as a visual artist, adding this important prize to my list of more than 800 prizes won over my life as a painter is a great thrill, they are small or large recognitions that keep being added to the laborious and continuous work of Creating artistic images with my Personal Stamp. To my mind, keeping your own expressive line over the years means earning a place in the History of Art honestly and naturally, in Catalonia, in Spain and in the whole World, it's persisting in creating a Style that identifies me, the only serious and consistent way to get through the sieves of time.
Indeed, this is a Painting Competition that has enjoyed very wide international coverage, hundreds of websites that have promoted its rules and that are generating news in many media outlets, making the event bigger. I'm very happy with the participation of artists from various countries and that the jury chose my artwork as the best for its technical qualities and for its ability to move people.
What made you decide to enter the competition?
As for the reason I took part, it was basically because the theme motivated and interested me. I've been painting subjects related to the figures of the Bible and the New Testament for some time now, Jesus Christ included, stories of mysticism and mysteries that let me allow inspiration to flow. I take part in Painting Competitions now and then, and that's how my paintings have been able to win prizes on so many occasions. When you feel the call of creative interest, that's the moment to make an artwork with the required theme, and that goes through a great variety of proposals that interest me at any given time.
Your artwork is going to be in a privileged place (61,000 visits a year) and it will also be the first of many others that in the future will form part of the monographic Ecce Homo museum. As we know, there's also a very important charitable side to it. What feelings does everything this prize involves stir in you?
Having a privileged place in the Museum of Borja and its Sanctuary of Misericordia seems extraordinary to me. When all is said and done, we painters have to show our artworks to as much of the public as possible in order to encourage the Love of Art in our society, and the charitable aims behind this initiative, I believe, ennoble the whole process of organising the Ecce Homo Museum.
I imagine you must have received emails and calls from a lot of people. Any that struck you or made you especially happy?
I've received many congratulations and some very moving ones, though for the Artist the essential thing is to keep going along the Path that Destiny has marked out for you as a Human Being, and the acceptance of the Artwork by the experts and by the general public are the signs that you are on the decreed Route.
Many thanks, Ernest, for your heartfelt answers and our most sincere congratulations on the prize. We also want to thank the Borja Residents' Association for their charitable initiative, which is at the same time important for the art world.
Visit Ernest Descals Pujol's artwork at http://ernestdescals.artelista.com/
More information about the 1st "Cecilia Giménez" International Painting Competition on its Facebook and on the page of theAsociación de Vecinos del Santuario de Misericordia de Borja
Description of the winning artwork, Ecce Homo, retrato espiritual, by Ernest Descals:
The artwork measures 100 x 81 cm and is made with oil paint and collage interwoven, forming patches with suggestions that gradually outline the figure along with the surrounding chiaroscuro and shadows. The idea was to make an imaginary portrait that could convey the values of the Human Being, son of God, in his passion, will and solitude. For me it's a very tender portrait of human feelings.
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