Guanajuato, Gto., May 31, 2018.- In the year of 1953, the young artist Jesús Gallardo Carrillo arrived in the city of Guanajuato, where he found not only shelter and work, but a style: "Its landscape, its mountains, its rocks, its climate, its light, I have been given its style and I am immensely happy."

This was expressed by M. Gallardo Carrillo, founder of the then School of Plastic Arts, presiding over the awards ceremony of the 16th Annual Student Contest of the Department of Visual Arts of the division of Architecture, Art and Design (DAAD) of the Guanajuato Campus of the University of Guanajuato (UG).

The Master, who at his 86 years old is still in active work, expressed to be grateful that the university authorities decided to give his name to the contest, which greatly honors him, and the young artists advised them not to continue in their illusions , in his endeavour to go on: "Cultivate with vehemence and vocation your illusions and follow your own destiny."

In the name of Dr. Teresita de Jesús Rendon Huerta Barrera, rector of the Guanajuato Campus, corresponded to Dr. Salvador Salas Zamudio to close the ceremony where he made a reflection on the scope of the visual arts, which address multiple problems and use different techniques, as an answer and as an artist's language.

The contest owes its name to the master who is admired, loved and respected, example of delivery and talent, he said, at the time of congratulating the organizers, selected, winners, and all participants of this.

M. Areli Vargas Colmenero, director of the Visual arts department, was in charge of publicizing the winners of this annual student contest of the Department of Visual Arts "Jesús Gallardo": The first place was for Claudio Saul Velázquez Domínguez, the Second place for Gabriel Manuel Sanchez and third place for César Gabriel Zamora Swift.

In the same way five honorable mentions were given to: Karina Jaime Orozco, Ramses Anuar Ruiz Ramos, Samara Colina Borja, Rafael Hernán González Ramírez and Carolina Ramírez, all of them students of the degree in visual arts.

Mtra. Vargas underlined that this event rises to the university artistic production and, for the department that presides, the annual contest has a special sense to propitiate a fundamental experience for the professional development of the art.

Over the course of 16 years the competition has been consolidated as one of the main events that recognizes the hard work of the students and generates essentially an exhibition where commune curiosities of creators in training, he said.

In that order, he thanked the Mtro. Gilberto López Elías, responsible for the organization of this contest and the juries: Paulina Macías, Pilar Ramos and Cristhian Franco, for their important participation.

For his part, Dr. Francisco Javier González Compean, Director of the division of Architecture, Art and Design (DAAD), recalled that UG as a humanist institution has taken care of the promotion to the arts and culture, which are of its main postulates and is one of the tasks the institution shelters, addresses and encourages.

Eva Lorena Rosas also took the floor, a student of the degree in visual arts, who said that the competition goes beyond the preconceived image of competition and delves into the strict sense of the word, where not only there are a number of individuals who are Confronting, but concurring, forming and unfolding.

Outside there is only room for people who intentionally work to offer art a part of themselves in a disciplined, innovative and daring way, the student said.

The ceremony was also attended by the Mtro. José Osvaldo Chávez, Director of student development; Dr. Sara Julsrud, Director of Cultural Extension of UG and Dr. Claudia Gutiérrez Padilla, Academic Secretary of the Guanajuato Campus, students, professors and general public.

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