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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Fri Sep 20, 2013, 04:11 AM Sep 2013

Hoxton artist pays tribute to Chilean icon Victor Jara’s “broken hands”

Hoxton artist pays tribute to Chilean icon Victor Jara’s “broken hands”
by Emma Bartholomew, Senior ReporterThursday, September 19, 2013
5:31 PM

A Hoxton artist has unveiled his memorial Chilean icon Victor Jara, the Chilean icon slaughtered for speaking out against the regime of dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Otto Schade’s tribute, “Broken Hands”, refers to the late Chilean folk musician’s hands which were broken after his arrest during the brutal military coup led by General Pinochet 40 years ago on September 11 1973.

Jara – once described by Rolling Stone Magazine as “one of history’s biggest rebels” - was taken to the infamous national football stadium which was used as a makeshift concentration camp during the coup, and brutally tortured and killed.

His body was later found dumped on a random pavement in Santiago with 42 bullet wounds to the head and body, and his British wife Joan Jara buried him alone.

“I was haunted by the tale that Jara’s hands were broken during his ordeal, that he was forced to sing with a guitar he couldn’t play because of his broken hands - hence the name of the show,” said 41-year old Mr Schade, who grew up in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship and found Mr Jara was an inspiration to “everyone who was trying to understand what was happening”.

More:
http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/hoxton_artist_pays_tribute_to_chilean_icon_victor_jara_s_broken_hands_1_2728354

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