Curriculum Vitae
Background
Abdías MéndezRobles
I was born on May 29, 1959, in the Santurce hospital, where today is the Puerto Rico Museum of Art. My father was Lesme Mendez Rodrigues from San Sebastián and my mother Maria E. Robles Torres from Luquillo, Puerto Rico.
I studied in public school. From first to third grade level, was at the Israel School, in the Israel Neighborhood; the fourth and sixth grade at Rafael Hernández school. From the seventh to ninth grade level, middle school, at the Jose Gandara School; that period of middle school was intense, of extreme experience, growth, definitions and maturity, in that period was art that helped me improve my grades and be able to pass the grade, and learned to take life seriously. The only medal received in my studies was in art, high honor in Industrial Arts, this opened my eyes to the world of art, that has lived in me. That experience motivated me to look for other study alternatives in the high school, I did everything possible to enter the specialized school Escuela Libre de Música. I played the clarinet and knew some music which allowed me to pass school enter exams. I did high school in two years, finished grades 10, 11 and 12 early. That is how I began my procedures to enter the university at the age of 15 years.
The enthusiasm for art led me to experiment carving wood and white stones, drawing and painting, and visits Old San Juan to art places, where I met Luis German Cajigas in his Caleta Gallery. With him I took the first discipline of art, received the first invitation to an exhibition and in his gallery had my first exhibition with a paint, landscape with “Flamboyan”.
The process of transition to university was a mixture of mixed emotions and interests. On the one hand art, which was my passion and on the other hand my struggle to have a profitable and safe to achieve my economic interest career, and get out of poverty. Finally, I reasoned that I was an artist, I was born to be an artist, but my economic goals were not in art, and that my professional interests had to be pursued in college in careers that were already proven. I decide to study finance, accounting, economics and computer programming. That way I finished my studies, with a job, business and married. But the artist in me was not satisfied, my being felt incomplete, although I always kept painting, participating in some collectives. In Paris, I shared my feelings with Alfonso Arana, who inspired me and guide to formalize my career as an artist. Alfonso was always aware of my progress, he called me all time and went to my atelier, many times he invited me to his atelier in Paris and San Juan. For four decades I have given space to the artist, to my development and production in my own style, timeless and Triformist style. This is me, a multidisciplinary artist; this is how the artist in me was born and formed.
I was born on May 29, 1959, in the Santurce hospital, where today is the Puerto Rico Museum of Art. My father was Lesme Mendez Rodrigues from San Sebastián and my mother Maria E. Robles Torres from Luquillo, Puerto Rico.
I studied in public school. From first to third grade level, was at the Israel School, in the Israel Neighborhood; the fourth and sixth grade at Rafael Hernández school. From the seventh to ninth grade level, middle school, at the Jose Gandara School; that period of middle school was intense, of extreme experience, growth, definitions and maturity, in that period was art that helped me improve my grades and be able to pass the grade, and learned to take life seriously. The only medal received in my studies was in art, high honor in Industrial Arts, this opened my eyes to the world of art, that has lived in me. That experience motivated me to look for other study alternatives in the high school, I did everything possible to enter the specialized school Escuela Libre de Música. I played the clarinet and knew some music which allowed me to pass school enter exams. I did high school in two years, finished grades 10, 11 and 12 early. That is how I began my procedures to enter the university at the age of 15 years.
The enthusiasm for art led me to experiment carving wood and white stones, drawing and painting, and visits Old San Juan to art places, where I met Luis German Cajigas in his Caleta Gallery. With him I took the first discipline of art, received the first invitation to an exhibition and in his gallery had my first exhibition with a paint, landscape with “Flamboyan”.
The process of transition to university was a mixture of mixed emotions and interests. On the one hand art, which was my passion and on the other hand my struggle to have a profitable and safe to achieve my economic interest career, and get out of poverty. Finally, I reasoned that I was an artist, I was born to be an artist, but my economic goals were not in art, and that my professional interests had to be pursued in college in careers that were already proven. I decide to study finance, accounting, economics and computer programming. That way I finished my studies, with a job, business and married. But the artist in me was not satisfied, my being felt incomplete, although I always kept painting, participating in some collectives. In Paris, I shared my feelings with Alfonso Arana, who inspired me and guide to formalize my career as an artist. Alfonso was always aware of my progress, he called me all time and went to my atelier, many times he invited me to his atelier in Paris and San Juan. For four decades I have given space to the artist, to my development and production in my own style, timeless and Triformist style. This is me, a multidisciplinary artist; this is how the artist in me was born and formed.