The ancient origin of Origines

Origines magazine. Volume XI, no. 35, 1954 (Lezama)

Origines magazine cover. Photo taken from Google.

After 72 years the magazine Origines is an example for all cultural magazines. Its essence is still alive among the Cuban readers

Written by Ana Margarita Sánchez Soler

asanchez@enet.cu

Throughout its history our country has received prominent journals on various subjects. Carteles, Revolución y Cultura, Unión, Arte Cubano and La Siempreviva are some of the best known. However, when it comes to magazines linked to Cuban culture you cannot miss mentioning of the journal Origines (1944-1956).

The Jose Lezama Lima house-museum has recently been jubilant during a period of tribute. His eternal inhabitant, the poet Lezama Lima, gave life together with other friends to transcendental Origines magazine, a publication that has 72 years of existence.

This important magazine dedicated to the art and literature of the island was directed by the author of the renowned Cuban text Paradiso and fellow writer Jose Rodriguez Feo.

It also featured creators Mariano Rodriguez and Alfredo Lozano in editorial work. Such an element displays one of the common features of the cultural magazines of that time and that Origenes showed with great force. We refer to the professional relationship between writers and artists. For example, the publication Espuela de Plata (Silver Spur 1939) brought together in its own direction Lezama, the art critic Guy Pérez Cisneros and the painter Mariano Rodriguez.

Origenes, on a quarterly basis, presented the work of national painters which went beyond the content of the magazine to also take over the design of the material. And their covers were identified on several occasions with the work of Mariano Rodriguez, Rene Portocarrero and Amelia Pelaez; and they were characterized by the allusion to the seasons.

This softback combined the poetic and narrative production, literary, artistic, aesthetic and philosophical criticism, and was considered by many as the best Cuban cultural magazine of that period (1944-1956).

Its prestige also earned it the support of personalities from the arts and intellectuality of our continent. From a large group one could mention Fina Garcia Marruz, Lydia Cabrera, Aldo Menendez, Gabriela Mistral, Paul Valery, Albert Camus, Jorge Guillen, Fayad Jamis and Alejo Carpentier.

The Origines magazine, at the time of its 72nd birthday, continues to be an example for all periodicals with similar characteristics. Its essence is still alive among Cuban readers.

Translated by ESTI