Walter Solón Romero, art and social commitment

Walter Solón Romero Gonzáles was born in Uyuni, Potosi, on the 8th November 1923. He graduated as Professor of Art and Painting in the National School of Teachers in Sucre and attended the School of Arts of La Paz and Sucre.

From his very first exhibition in 1944, Solon became known for his art focused on social themes that condemned injustice and expressed the the sufferings and demands of the people.

Walter Solon founded with other artists a group "Anteo" which was part of the current of intellectuals and arts commmitted to social change in Bolivia at a similar time to the muralist movement in Mexico.

He was a prolific artist, producing more than 2000 works, the most famous of which are his murals and frescos such as “Jaime Zudañes and the May Revolution” in the University San Francisco Javier of Sucre (1950), “History of Bolivian Petroleum” (1959) painted in the Nationalised Petrol Industry offices, “The National Revolution” (1964) and the “Portrait of a People” (1985-1989) which can be seen in the Salon of Honour in the University of San Andrés in La Paz.

Amongst his art, a series of symbols keep repeating: the stone with eyes representing the need for historical memory, Anteo a painter with wings whose feet remain firmly rooted in earth, the reality, and Don Quixote, the tireless fighter for justice in a world that considers him mad.

Solon's Quixotes in particular link in with key stages of both his life and the life of Bolivia. For example “Quixote and the Dogs" conceived during the dictatorship of Banzer (1971) which denounced the disappearance of José Carlos Trujillo, his oldest son and the oppression of social movements, proved to be behind his arrest by the authorities.

“Quixote in the mines” (1976) recalls when the military intervened in the mines, whilst his series “Quixote in Exile" recounts the years in which he was exiled after a period of detention during the dictatorship of the 80s.

With the recovery of democracy in Bolivia, Solón painted flowers and landscapes to celebrate the dawning of new times of hope, but as its weaknesses became apparent in it is failure to deal with misery, unemployment and memory, the author undertook his epic work "Portrait of the People" (1985–1989).

During the years 1986-1999 Solón created different works using diverse techniques such as murals, amates (traditional form of pre-Colombine painting on tree bark), paintings, drawings and woodworks which all reflected his profound concern for social injustice.

Walter Solón Romero was honoured with the Grand National Art Prize for Bolivia (1967), with an Honorary Doctorate at San Andres University (1998). But above all he was a loved artist and recognised by social movements and by men and women who fought for democracy, justice and social equity.

In 1994, Solón began to build Solon Foundation and gave his house and workshop to this work. Solon died in Lima on 27 July 1999 and his ashes now rest within the Solon Foundation.