ROBERTO BARRAGAN

Colombia - 1946

Colombian classical guitarist and painter, dedicated to Music and Art since 1970, was born in Villa Blanca (Casanare) on the Tocaria River Side.
He began to study under Greek concert guitarist now living in the U.S.A. George Sakellariou. In 1970 he went to Buenos Aires to study with Jorge Martínez Zárate at the "Juan José Castro" Conservatory of Music. In 1972 Barragán met Concert guitarist and composer Abel Carlevaro. He was his guitar master in Montevideo (Uruguay) for 10 years obtaining, thus, a profound knowledge of his instrumental Technical resources. Then he finally studied with the well-known concert guitarist Eduardo Fernández.

Roberto Barragán has performed actively in his country of origin in: Sala de música "Luis Angel Arango", "León De Greiff" Auditorium, Teatro Municipal (Cali), Cámara de Comercio (Medellín), International Guitar Festivals "Ciudad de Bucaramanga" and "Ciudad de Bogotá"(Skandia Auditorium), Cartagena Youth Symphony Orchestra Home (inaugural concert and exhibition). He has also appeared on several radio and television programs.

He has performed in Argentina and Uruguay.
In the fall of 1995 he was invited by the Stockholm International Guitar Festival to take part in the concert programs. He has participated in concerts, for Swedish television.

He has taught Master in Medellín, Bogotá, Cartagena and Elche (Spain).
His artistic talent has inspired him to explore, at the same time, the world of plastic. He studied drawing and painting under José Rueda in Buenos Aires between 1973 and 1983, and Japanese art "Suibokuga" under Yuri Yokota in Bogotá in 1992 and 1993.

His individual painting exhibitions include: Fundación Cristancho, Centro CulturaL Gimnasio Moderno, Club Rosarista, Centro Médico Diagnoson, Centro Cultural Mushaisa (Guajira), Youth Symphony Orchestra Home,Cartagena, Viñedo Punta Larga,Boyacá ,and Atlantis Arte Gallery, Bogotá.

He has illustrated with his paintings and verses of Soledad Muñiz the "Agenda Ecopetrol ´94 "

Collectors of Mr.Barragán´s paintings:
Dr. Jaime Aponte
Dr. Hector Chamorro
Maestro Eduardo Berrío (Colombian violinist renamed)
Dr. Horacio Perdomo
Atlantis Art Gallery
Gloria Flores
Jorge Luis Díaz

In recent years Barragan has combined music and painting as a unitary expression. His first C.D. "Imagen", is an illustration of this. This particular music which falls within the category of Relaxation Music, together with its booklet which consists of drawing ink paintings, create a beautiful evocative and contemplative atmosphere.

The magic, mystery, fauna and flora of his native land impregnated his early childhood with sounds, forms and colors that can be found in his works. His daily "Suibokuga" and "Tai Chi" practice since 1992, together with his profound respect and admiration for western and eastern arts, has inspired him to create an artistic language that integrates them in a very personal way.
At this time and because of his work he shuttles frequently between Buenos Aires and Bogotá.