Africa-Press – Angola. Araão Álvaro Ieca, who uses the pseudonym Yeca, is the son of Simão Ieca and Madalena Álvaro do Nascimento. He was born on July 20, 1998, in Cabinda, and is the second child among eight children.
“Since I was little, I always liked to draw, but already in 3rd grade, my parents forbade me, because I drew all the time. I believe it was because of my failure that year and because they had other plans for me”, said, by way of presentation, adding that, “even after the ban, I drew occasionally, mainly at school, but I didn’t consider myself the best, because I had colleagues who also drew very well, but the teacher, António Kipipa, always preferred that it was me to do the illustration drawings on the board”.
Araão Álvaro Ieca did basic and secondary training at the Dom Paulino Fernando Madeca Missionary School, from 2004 to 2013.
“In 2014, I started my training as a medium technician in the Project Designer course at Colégio Ngoio, in Cabinda. That year was a little complicated, because of the distance from home to school and vice versa and the lack of electricity in the neighborhood” , reveals, to add: “we often didn’t have gasoline in the generator and I was forced to draw in the flickering light of the lamp or on the balcony of the neighbors who turned on the generator”, he recalls. “These difficulties did not prevent me from having good grades and always delivering all my work on time. Because of the course, although I was involved with “Drawing”, I lost a lot of talent for artistic drawing”.
In 2017, he goes to Luanda for higher education in the Architecture and Urbanism course. “I joined the Technical University of Angola (UTANGA), but unfortunately, due to extreme financial difficulties, I only attended the 1st year, but it was worth it”.
In the same year, he had the discipline of Plastics, with professor Heitor Domingos, who was very strict. “In the first days of class he ordered us to do the first work and I, with no experience in artistic drawing, did what I could”.
One day, the teacher told Araão Álvaro Ieca that he didn’t know how to draw. “I was very sad that day. Since then, I applied myself a lot until one day, in the 2nd semester, the teacher told me the following: Araão, it is not necessary to present your work anymore, because you have improved a lot over the course of the year. Professor Heitor Domingos’ motto was “Evolution”.
In 2018, Araão Álvaro Ieca stopped studying and decided to start practicing realistic graphite pencil drawing. “It wasn’t easy because those I asked to help me improve my techniques, unfortunately, refused, because I had to pay and I didn’t have the money to pay. Except for the drawing books by Brazilian artist Carlos Damasceno and two or three colleagues who They gave some tips and encouragement.”
Still in 2018, so much is applied, he says, that everyone was surprised by the results obtained in a short time. “I started earning money doing commissions. I met the architect and plastic artist Walter Pataca, then an architecture student at UTANGA. He liked my work and we started hanging out together. Through him I met incredible artists and Art Galleries”.
Araão Álvaro Ieca begins to exhibit his works at fairs and events. “I lived with my aunt Cecília, I arranged a corner in her house and started to share the little of my knowledge for free with the boys in the neighborhood and this increased my experience and knowledge of realistic drawing”.
In 2019, things got more serious, he began to receive invitations to participate in exhibitions, television and radio programs and orders increased here in Angola, as well as across borders. “I met the engineer Ana Rosa, who showed me her ATLA project. I took the opportunity and started working as a teacher of Drawing and Painting, Crafts and Calligraphy”.
“Since then, a lot has improved, there is no shortage of difficulties, but I do something I’ve always liked”.
Currently, Araão Álvaro Ieca has a drawing and painting studio, A kubata do Yeca, and works as a Drawing and Painting teacher at Atelier Palomino Artes, learning from Master Yasiel Palomino.
Collective exhibitions: Expo-Cimbo- 2018; Management Fair at UTANGA- 2018; Exhibition Allusive to the Day of the UTANGA-2019 Architect; Exhibition Allusive to the month of March “Fortaleza de São Miguel”- 2020; LIPANDA Exhibition- 2020; CONFINMANT 2 Exhibition (Ivory Coast) – 2021; Christmas Exhibition 2nd Edition- 2021; Liter Art Exhibition 2nd Edition (Tamar Golan Gallery) – 2022 ; Kement Exhibition – 2022.
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