Hugo Mujica
Hugo Mujica (born 30 August 1942) is an Argentine Catholic priest, poet, writer, and former Trappist monk. Biography Mujica was born in Avellaneda, a neighborhood near the city of Buenos Aires, to an anarchist syndicalist father. As his father became blind after a work accident when Mujica was only thirteen years of age, he began to work in a glass factory, continuing with high school at night school. At the same time he pursued studies in Fine Arts. Amidst the fervour of the sixties he settled in Greenwich Village, New York. There he began to study philosophy at the experimental Free University of New York, and resumed painting at School of Visual Arts. He was an active painter until the final years of the sixties when, following his own account, 'painting left me'. He briefly experimented with marijuana and LSD, part of the scene in those days. He briefly met Ralph Metzner, who helped to publish one of his drawings. He was irreligious most of his young years, but that changed with his encounter with Swami Satchidananda. He converted to Catholicism when contemplating monastic life. During a trip along with Satchidananda, only a week after the festival, he became acquainted with the monastic life of the Trappist monastery. Joining shortly thereafter, he lived under vow of silence for seven years. He travelled to a French monastery of the same order. He began to write poetry during his time of monastic asceticism, after three years of having joined the order. He visited Mount Athos, Greece, to experience the way of the Eastern Hesychast tradition. He travelled to Europe one more time, and having returned to Argentina finally settled down. He spent a year in solitude in a countryside located in General Alvear, where he wrote his biography only to put it in the trash. He later came back to the city of Buenos Aires, joined seminary and in little time he became a priest. He studied theology and philosophical anthropology. After a few years of officiating at a parish, he left momentarily his priestly vocation and turned to writing in its entirety, along with lecturing abroad and engaging in poetic festivals. He participated in a TV debate with Gilles Lipovetsky, along with Juan José Sebreli, criticizing the complacency of the French philosopher regarding market economy. Awards 2013, Premio Casa de América de Poesía Americana Bibliography Poetry 2016 Barro desnudo. Ed. Visor, España. 2013 Cuando todo calla. (XIII Premio Casa de América de Poesía Americana). Ed. Visor, España. 2011 Y siempre después el viento. Ed. Visor, España. 2004 Casi en silencio. Ed. Pre-textos, España. 2001 Sed adentro. Ed. Pre-textos, España. 1999 Noche abierta. Ed. Pre-textos, España. 1995 Para albergar una ausencia. Ed. Pre-textos, España. 1992 Paraíso vacío. Ed. Troquel-Estaciones, Argentina. 1987 Escrito en un reflejo. Ed. El Imaginero, Argentina. 1986 Responsoriales. Ed. El Imaginero, Argentina. 1984 Sonata de violoncelo y lilas. Ed. Sitio del Silencio, Argentina. 1983 Brasa blanca. Ed. Sitio del Silencio, Argentina. Essays 2018 La carne y el mármol. Francis