Raquel Orzuj (January 30, 1939 - October 3, 2018) was a Uruguayan artist, cultural journalist, and film director known for her humorous cartoons. She signed her work as "ms. orzuj."[1]

Raquel Orzuj
Raquel Orzuj
Born(1939-01-30)January 30, 1939
Montevideo, Uruguay
DiedOctober 3, 2018(2018-10-03) (aged 79)
Montevideo, Uruguay
Other namesms. orzuj
Alma materTaller Torres Garcia
Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura
Occupation(s)Artist, writer, director

Life

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Raquel Orzuj was born on January 30, 1939, in Montevideo, Uruguay. She was Jewish and her father, Moisés Orzuj, was an immigrant from Lithuania who founded the Yiddish-language newspaper Folksblat.[2] As a child, her parents were connected with influential Jewish Uruguayan figures like Juan Carlos Onetti and Zoma Baitler, as well as Golda Meir, the former Primer Minister of Israel.[2]

She studied at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura, the Instituto de Profesores Artigas [es], and the Taller Torres Garcia art school under Joaquín Torres García.[3]

Orzuj began working as an editor at the WittyWorld international cartoon magazine in 1988.[2]

In 1994, she founded the Salón internacional de Humor Grafico de la mujer ("International Women's Graphic Humor Exhibition") in order to support other women cartoonists. She has also led cartoon and artist workshops around the world.[1]

Orzuj used humor to cross cultural boundaries and discuss international human rights issues in her artworks, especially violence against women and children.[4]

Her work has been exhibited at museums in Uruguay, Spain, the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Italy, Germany, South Korea, and many others.[1]

Works (selected)

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Books

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  • Historia del Humor Gráfico en Uruguay, (2006) published by Milenio Publicaciones S.L., ISBN 9788497431996
  • 500 AÑOS DE PRESENCIA JUDÍA EN AMÉRICA, an award-winning stamp design[5]

Documentaries

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  • Resplandor de la memoria, directed by Mateo Etchegoyhen[1]

Awards and nominations (selected)

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  • Gran Premio Nacional De Pintura El Azahar- Uruguay
  • Primer Premio Municipal De Pintura
  • 26 Internation Art and Humor Awards (IDB Finalist Winner-Usa-2005 and Golden Helmet—Prize, 2003)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Cooltivarte (2017-04-24). "Resplandor de la memoria, entrevista a Raquel Orzuj". Cooltivarte Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  2. ^ a b c Jerozolimski, Ana (2014-11-27). "Entrevista a Raquel Orzuj" [Interview with Raquel Orzuj]. Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  3. ^ Clarín, Redacción (2024-04-02). "¿Quiénes fueron las mujeres del Taller Torres García que llenan hoy un museo en Uruguay?" [Who were the women of the Taller Torres García who today fill a museum in Uruguay?]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  4. ^ Sadow, Stephen (2018-01-20). "Raquel Orzuj — "Comentarista por viñetas"" [Raquel Orzuj — “Commentator by Vignettes”]. jewishlatinamerica.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  5. ^ "Filatelia: "500 AÑOS DE PRESENCIA JUDÍA EN AMÉRICA" - SERIE DESCUBRIMIENTO DE AMÉRICA - Sello de Raquel Orzuj - eSefarad". eSefarad: Noticias del Mundo Sefaradí (in Spanish). 2010-10-19. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
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