SWD 13

Victor Jara, Chilean singer-songwriter

Victor Jara of Chile, a singer-songwriter, poet and teacher, 1932-73. 

Art: 2010
Media: Sepia ink on coffee stained, crumpled Daler-Rowney drawing paper
Framed, 22 ¾ inches H  x 29 ¾ W

After the military coup in Chile in 1973 thousands of political prisoners were arrested by the military. In Santiago thousands were held in the main stadium.  It was reported that while he was being tortured, with his fingers broken by soldiers, he sang. He was executed by being shot.

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Jara sang with the music group Quilapayun. Look for recordings on Youtube, e.g. the album.

Titled cueca de la libertad, pub. by EMI-Odeon, 1973.

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A 2 min., 13 sec. video of a Victor Jara song sung by Seattleite Meg Savlov at an exhibit of Segan’s Holocaust and human rights art, Seattle Central College, M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery, Apr 2013.

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Bibliography: Published in Jewish Currents, NY, winter 2011-12 issue, "Portraits of Resisters"

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Videos, mainly black and white footage, of Jara singing, can be seen on Youtube.