A kiss from Picasso turned Flamenco legend on to painting

Flamenco dancer and artist La Chunga (2nd R), along with singers Charles Aznavour (C), Johnny Hallyday (L), actress and singer Melina Mercouri (2nd L), after debut concert of Charles Trenet (R), at l'Olympia, in Paris, 1971

© 2007 AFP -

Their paths crossed for a matter of moments half a century ago -- a kiss and a compliment; not long enough to form a friendship with Pablo Picasso, enough to convince flamenco dancer Micaela Flores Amaya she could double as an artist.

"We met briefly in France more than 50 years ago. He had one of my pictures. I gave him some ham and he gave me a kiss," laughed Amaya, better known by her stage name La Chunga, which loosely translates as a tough woman to cross.

On Wednesday Madrid's renowned El Corral de la Moreria flamenco unveiled a series of paintings by the 69-year-old La Chunga, whose artistic style even as a young woman fascinated Picasso.

"How can it be possible that a gypsy girl without studies expresses such sensitivity and colour in her paintings?" an astounded Picasso asked when they met in France in the mid-1950s.

A flamenco dancer performs at the el Corral de la Moreria, one of Madrid's emblematic flamenco bars, May 2006. On Wednesday El Corral de la Moreria flamenco unveiled a series of paintings by 69-year-old La Chunga, whose artistic style even as a young woman once fascinated Picasso.

© 2007 AFP - Bru Garcia

(leer +) [vía france 24]

tags: flamenco, baile, cante, flamenca