Perugorría's Three Passions

Known nationally and internationally for his famous Diego in the Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate, Jorge Perugorría, Pichy to his friends, is also an accomplished painter; this hobby and alternate profession together with his family are the passions of his life.

You are known as an actor, and now as a painter; speak to me of this duality.

- Ever since I was a boy, painting attracted me. I was born in Wajay, a little town outside Havana. There was a fine arts professor in the House of Culture there and the first thing I did, along with a group of friends, was to matriculate there, as that was my passion at the moment. I had other interests too, including baseball. Later all that was forgotten.

Still, a touch of painting remained within me and sometimes I made something as a hobby, but when I began acting, I understood that that was my career, my profession, and I concentrated on that in my studies, preparing myself on the stage for many years until I arrived at movies, and painting was forgotten.

Then, after a long-haul, I picked up the brushes again around the year 2000 and, since I have remained as a friend and collaborator of many Cuban painters, they encouraged me to show my works. Thus I presented the first exhibition, and I began to take it more seriously...