Throughout 2022, Jairo Cuesta has been posting several memories on Facebook to highlight the anniversary of various events from his life or the passing of important people. One posting, from March 2022, marked the 40th anniversary of Jerzy Grotowski’s Rome Lectures and the arrival of the Theatre of Sources team to Cenci Casa-laborotorio in Italy and others commemorated Jairo’s arrival to Europe 50 years ago, the end of the Theatre of Sources, and the deaths of Peter Brook, Rena Mirecka and Jacek Zmyslowski.
December 31, 2022
40 years ago today, in 1982, at Villa Giardino, an 18th century Italian villa, located two kilometers outside of the hilltop town of Volterra, Grotowski called from New York City to the public phone booth on the street, and asked me first to thank the theatre company, Gruppo Internazionale L’Avventura (GIA), for their hospitality (even if all the members were out of town for the New Year’s Eve celebration), and then to close the door of the villa, officially putting an end to the Theatre of Sources project.
Oggi, 40 anni fa, nel 1982, a Villa Giardino, una villa del ‘700 situata a due chilometri dalla città collinare di Volterra, Italia, Grotowski chiamò da New York City alla cabina telefonica pubblica sulla strada e mi chiese prima di ringraziare la compagnia teatrale, Gruppo Internazionale L'Avventura (GIA), per l'ospitalità (anche se tutti i componenti erano fuori città per la festa di Capodanno), e dopo di chiudere la porta della villa, ponendo ufficialmente fine al progetto Teatro delle Sorgenti.
December 23, 2022
Hoy, hace cincuenta años, salí de Colombia. Y la travecia del Atlántico me transformó en amante de los "Témenos" (τέμενος) (bosques, desiertos, jardines, montañas, santuarios, teatros, salas de ensayo, espacios vacíos), muchos de los cuales habité durante estos años, no siempre solo; en espectador de lo extraño; y, sobre todo, en un feliz esposo, padre y abuelo.
Today, fifty years ago, I left Colombia. And the crossing of the Atlantic transformed me into a lover of "Témenos" (τέμενος) (forests, deserts, gardens, mountains, sanctuaries, theaters, rehearsal rooms, empty spaces), many of which I inhabited during these years, not always alone; into a spectator of the strange; and, above all, into a happy husband, father, and grandfather.
Aujourd'hui, il y a cinquante ans, je quittais la Colombie. Et la traversée de l'Atlantique m'a transformé en amoureux de "Témenos" (τέμενος) (forêts, déserts, jardins, montagnes, sanctuaires, théâtres, salles de répétition, espaces vides), dont j'ai habité beaucoup durant ces années, pas toujours seul; en spectateur de l'étrange; et, surtout, en un mari, un père et un grand-père heureux.
Oggi, cinquant'anni fa, ho lasciato la Colombia. E la traversata dell'Atlantico mi ha trasformato in un amante dei "Témenos" (τέμενος) (foreste, deserti, giardini, montagne, santuari, teatri, sale prove, spazi vuoti), molti dei quali ho abitato in questi anni, non sempre da solo; in uno spettatore dello strano; e, soprattutto, in un felice marito, padre e nonno.
August 27, 2022
Nuestra gran Señora, Maestra, Actriz, Amiga, rumbo a la luz, siempre en nuestros corazones. Que en paz descanses.
Rena Mirecka (1934-2022)
July 2, 2022
Peter Brook has died.
You could see the future in his eyes.
March 2022
“And so, in truth, I will speak moreso of what I call source techniques. They are the techniques that man applies to himself.”
-extracted from: The Rome Conferences by Jerzy Grotowski.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Rome Conferences.
Presented at Istituto del Teatro e dello Spettacolo, Università degli Studi La Sapienza. Roma. March-June 1982.
Forty years ago, the group of the “Theatre of Sources II” was welcomed by Franco Lorenzoni to Casa Cenci in Umbria, Italy.
We started by helping to fix the “palestra.” Photographs by Franco Lorenzoni.
February 4, 2022
A mi querido amigo Jacek y a los sueños que tuvimos juntos hace cuarenta años en los bosques polacos.
Mojemu drogiemu przyjacielowi Jackowi i marzeniom, które mieliśmy razem czterdzieści lat temu w polskich lasach.
Jacek Zmysłowski (1953-1982)
Afiche de K.M. Bednarski.
To my dear friend Jacek and the dreams we had together forty years ago in the Polish forests.
Jacek Zmysłowski (1953-1982)
Poster by KM Bednarski.
Happy New Year everyone!