The journalist Olga González interviewed the printmaker Alirio Palacios upon his return to Venezuela after a stay in Geneva (Switzerland), during which time his focus had been on creating graphic art. González refers to the Swiss critic Arnold Kohler, quoting his positive comments about Palacios’s work. The artist himself contrasts the hegemonic countries, whose cultural models are imposed, with the developing countries on which these models are haphazardly imposed. Palacios raises this issue as a challenge he finds when confronting such models in his search for his own language, one that would be tied to his roots.

This article by the journalist Olga González introduces Alirio Palacios (1938–2015) upon his return to Venezuela. (Note that parts of the article incorrectly refer to him as Alirio Rodríguez.) In particular, the journalist points out the concern stirred up by this artist’s work with regard to the loss of cultural identity that is evident in developing countries. The text also invites a focus on another aspect of Palacios’s personality: his ideological and cultural concerns, which are barely addressed at all in other sources. By 1975, the artist had come to the end of a long journey abroad, returning to his country, Venezuela, after time spent in Switzerland, with the desire to develop his ideas. The artist elaborates: “I believe that a work does not derive its validity from the backing of art syndicates in the developed countries.” He notes that he approves the changed attitude of both the government and the viewing public in Venezuela regarding artwork. Basically, this article allows us to step into a moment of the artist’s life. We “meet” him poised to renew his relationship with his own country after an extended meditation on the worldwide identity crisis as many countries confront the cultural hegemonies.

[As a reading supplementary to this text, see the essay by Igor Molina, “Alirio Palacios: El arte de la violencia,” which highlights the artist’s training in printmaking in both Poland and China, ICAA digital archive doc. no. 1155701; Lenelina Delgado’s article, “Alirio Palacios: El estado tiene la responsabilidad del futuro del Centro de Diseño” (doc. no. 1155596); another text by Olga González, “Mezzotintas de Alirio Palacios: El final del aprendizaje gráfico” (doc. no. 1156997); an article written in English by Julia Kruger, “There's Another China”(doc. no. 1155219); Yasmín Monsalve’s text, “Soy un gran aliado de mi país: Alirio Palacios expone xilografías en la Freites” (doc. no. 1155733); in addition to Edith Guzmán’s interview with the artist, “Alirio Palacios se propone rescatar el grabado milenario de China” (doc. no. 1155809)].