Written by the flamencologist and university professor Juan Manuel Suarez Japan –former Minister of Culture of the Andalusian Government– and published by the Manolo Sanlúcar Aura Seguros Foundation, the book Manolo Sanlúcar, the eternal mark of a genius offers an intimate account of the experiences, teachings and feelings of the master flamenco Manolo Sanlucar, including previously unpublished content that reflects his deep connection with art flamenco and his land.
During the presentation ceremony held in Santa Coloma, Catalonia, the Foundation's communications director, Paco santana, highlighted the importance of this work, describing it as "a necessary book" that pays tribute to a transcendental figure in Andalusian culture. The president of the Foundation, José Martínez Talavera, highlighted how Manolo Sanlúcar revolutionized the flamenco, elevating it to a symphonic and universal category.
Suárez Japón has insisted that this is not a conventional biography, where "what is already known" is usually compiled, but rather that it aims to address the character from human complexity and with unpublished information which helps us better understand an artist who "rebelled against the life script assigned to him." "It tells the story of a unique personality and describes him in the process that goes from those early learnings to his physical and creative decline and his death," the writer said about the book.
"The book helps us better understand an artist who rebelled against the life script assigned to him. It tells the story of a unique personality and describes his journey from those early learning experiences to his physical and creative decline and death."
Within this unpublished content, the publication has many images, such as some with the writer Rafael Alberti or with the artist Miguel de Molina"I wanted to make way for the vast amount of information out there about Manolo," Suárez Japón explained.
For his part, the president of the Manolo Sanlúcar Foundation, José Martínez, has detailed that speaking about the composer "means delving into the legacy of a man who revolutionized flamenco music", and highlighted that the book approaches the character "with rigor and affection."
“It is a testament to how one man's discipline managed to transform language, and through its pages we discover not only the exceptional guitarist, but also to the pedagogue, to the man committed to his land”. This launch marks a significant milestone in the dissemination of Manolo Sanlúcar's legacy and in the promotion of flamenco as cultural heritage.
