Journalist Mingui Betancourt explains the origin, creative process, and intention behind the works created by Venezuelan artist Régulo Pérez (b. 1929) for the exhibition Humor rehecho [Humor Remade]. The text offers a brief summary of the artist’s career, in terms of its essentials as well as the movements in which he participated while also underscoring its ongoing thematic, ideological, and sociological features. The text also lists the periods of his work, which are figurative, narrative, and self-critical. Betancourt leaves space in the text for the artist to briefly explain his opinions on art in Venezuela and his own definition of “caricature.”

For the exhibition Humor rehecho [Humor Remade] by Venezuelan artist Régulo Pérez (b. 1929), held at the Sala de Caracas in 1974, journalist Mingui Betancourt describes the creative process that shaped his caricatures between 1973 and 1974, briefly referring to the ideas that would become consistent features of his work. Betancourt emphasizes the motives that led him to create this series of “remade” caricatures, and also highlights the loss of many originals, the use of a technique that was not long lasting, and the change in perspective about the appreciation of caricatures. It was for this reason that he was then making [caricature] art; because he considered “caricature” a way to “unload.” Using Regulo’s personal definition and Betancourt’s description of his creative process, the author offers information essential to understanding the group of works shown in the 1974 exhibition; as well as for a general analysis of his work. This is due to the dearth of detailed and in-depth studies of [this artist] in Venezuela.

[With respect to Pérez’s work, see the ICAA digital archive: the texts by Rafael Pineda, “Régulo y el eje Orinoco–Pintura” [Régulo and the Orinoco Axis—Painting] (doc. no. 1154220) and “Naturaleza y cultura (texto original tomado del catálogo Régulo en Acquavella, Caracas, 1981)” [Nature and Culture (original text from the catalogue Régulo in Acquavella, Caracas, 1981](doc. no. 1154268); and by Bélgica Rodríguez, “Un nuevo lenguaje” [A New Language] (doc. no. 1157776); by Roberto Guevara, “Régulo y la cultura visual” [Régulo and the Visual Culture] (doc. no. 1157759); by Carlos Yusti, “Régulo Pérez o la múltiple actividad creadora”[Régulo Pérez or the Multiple Creative Activity] (doc. no. 1154156); the analysis by Sanoja, “Prólogo serio para el más serio de nuestros humoristas” [A Serious Prologue for the Most Serious of Humorists] (doc. no. 1154188); “Conversando con Régulo Pérez: Entrevistado por Berna Parra, María Eugenia Sánchez y Margarita Villarroel” [Conversing with Régulo Pérez: Interview by Berna Parra, María Eugenia Sánchez, and Margarita Villarroel] (doc. no. 1154236); and a partial chronology by Ivette Villarreal, “La salvación por la imagen” [Salvation through Image] (doc. no. 1154300)].