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The Cuban sculptor Rafael Abdala García Touza, one of the most recognized figures in the visual arts in Villa Clara, passed away this Tuesday in Santa Clara after battling cancer, as confirmed by the Diocese of Santa Clara.
The news provoked numerous expressions of sorrow among artists, students, and colleagues who had shared spaces of creation and teaching for decades with someone who left a deep mark on the cultural landscape of the province.
"The visual arts of Villa Clara are in mourning. We bid farewell with deep sorrow to the great sculptor and master Rafael Abdala García Touza, who leaves us after a brave battle against cancer," expressed Artes Visuales Villa Clara in a message posted on social media.
In addition to his sculptural work, Abdala will be remembered for his role as a mentor to several generations of artists. Since 2001, he taught at the Leopoldo Romañach Academy of Fine Arts in Santa Clara and at other artistic teaching venues in the province.
Those who shared classrooms and workshops with him describe him as a demanding teacher, passionate about his work and deeply committed to the education of his students.
His legacy also remains in public and religious spaces of Villa Clara. Among his most well-known works are the sculptural ensemble dedicated to Abel Santamaría in Encrucijada, the sculpture of Saint John Paul II, and the commemorative reliefs of the pope's visit to Cuba in 1998, as well as several pieces installed in Cayo Las Brujas.
Abdala's relationship with the Catholic Church of Santa Clara led to some of his most emblematic works. Notably, the sculpture "Jesus the Good Shepherd," located at the entrance of the Bishopric of Santa Clara, as well as various projects developed in collaboration with the diocese.
The religious institution highlighted not only the artistic quality of his work but also the personal bond he maintained for years with Bishop Arturo González Amador.
"We are left with his works of excellent craftsmanship and even the numerous unfinished sketches for the new altar of the S.I. Cathedral of Santa Clara de Asís," stated the Diocese as they mourned his passing.
Trained in the art schools of Santa Clara and Trinidad, Abdala developed a career marked by sculptural creation and teaching, becoming a reference point within the visual arts of Villa Clara.
His death leaves a void in the region's culture, but also a tangible legacy that will continue to accompany those who visit the public spaces where his works are displayed and the many students who found in him a mentor.
Bishop Monsignor Arturo González Amador, who in February of this year denounced from the altar of the Cathedral the social crisis that Cuba is experiencing, will preside over a mass for the eternal rest of the sculptor this Wednesday, June 10, at 8:00 a.m. at the Diocesan Sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity.
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