"After all, we are a synthesis of everything we
absorb and our personality the result of a
selective interpretation"
Chicote CFC / 2012
CHICOTE CFC
BIOGRAPHY
1963
Carlos Fernández Chicote Fernández Vergara or simply "Chicote CFC" was born in the city of Madrid - Spain, son of Adolfo, native of Almorox (Toledo) and Remedios de Alcorcón (Madrid).
Alcorcón, at that time a modest municipality in the south, thirteen kilometers away from the big capital with just 200 inhabitants, endowed with few and deficient basic facilities, without paved roads or lacking the necessary means and resources to give birth to a son, would be the family residence where the artist would grow and mature. Fifth child, third of those who would reach maturity, after the death by sudden heart attack at an early age of the eldest daughter during the course of the celebration of a bullfighting event in the municipal bullring and with no better luck after the fact with an unexpected abortion, her arrival was not and was not part of the initial plans that the family was considering.
1967
Apparently introverted and demure, perhaps extremely restrained, young Carlos will spend long hours enthralled during these early years drawing in the company of his mother while she toiled in the daily work and chores at home. Life was simple and monotonous in a home in which there was no radio or television and in which the few nocturnal activities that could be carried out, in the best of cases, were around a light bulb or some candles when there was no regular light.
He immediately felt astonished, attracted and trapped by all the labors and manual or craft trades that were carried out near his parents' house, which without hesitation and to which he used to go very early in the day to thoroughly contemplate the remodeling of houses and buildings. He was capable of abandoning the game in which he was immersed with his friends and colleagues to remain stunned for countless hours contemplating the way in which the works worked and evolved and even more when it came to decoration or artistic and decorative elements. Of all this they would remain in his memory, that strong smell of paint that often gave off the still fresh plaster, the carpentry glue or the varnishes. It is a curious anecdote of an event in which the capacity that at such a young age allowed him to observe everything around him in great detail is evident, when one summer day he was observing how an artist worked, a sign-maker stationed at the top of a scaffold busy painting on the wall an enormous advertising poster-mural with brush in hand, led him to draw his attention warning him of the terrible mistake he was making by repeating the same letter within one of the words that was included in it.
It will be during this same year when he will enter the study center, which at that time was called "Colegio Juan XXIII" in Alcorcón (Madrid) where he will complete his cycle of infant training and primary education a posteriori.
1969
Approximately at the age of six his uncle, the closest neighbor of the family at the time, "Fernando Santoyo" observing the prodigious abilities that the then young Chicote was already revealing, one day decided to ask him about his concerns about future in reference to what he would like to dedicate himself to when he is older, to which Carlos will respond without hesitating for a moment, that his great desire would be to become a "saddler..." which caused many laughs among those present, but coming up with This shows very clearly, despite the naive and erroneous response of the young man, that for him this meant dedicating himself completely to making paintings, painting and art in general. And certainly it would be his uncle and later his daughter, "M.ª Carmen Santoyo", who, noticing such serious possibilities for the future in this field, encouraged their parents to support such a firm determination, which did not bear fruit. none, because his mother never wanted her son to dedicate himself to what she considered a miserable profession. On the other hand, the scarce preparation of his father, practically illiterate, could do little to guide him to immerse himself in said project.
1970
It would be precisely this one who one day, from the vicinity of his patio, was able to observe the young Carlos how, handling his brushes leaning on his first and tiny easel, a gift from kings, he showed a certain virtuosity for his age in the use and handling of brushes and temperas without having previously taught classes or having had a master craftsman to guide him in said practice, proposing him the challenge of knowing if he would be able to copy the beautiful stamped lid of a large quince can that he gave him in which he a scene of Don Quixote and his squire Sancho appeared reflected in the fields of La Mancha between windmills. In a few days Mr. Fernando” was highly surprised to see what the result was and how easily Carlos solved such a request. Tempera: Don Quixote de la Mancha (1975)
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1972
He made a first contact with the family business, then dedicated to stationery, small toys and newspapers, which opened its doors in March of this year and was run by his mother "Remedios Chicote Vergara" located on Calle Mayor, 22 de Al-corcón (Madrid).Thanks to this, you will be able to see first-hand how many materials and tools were common among professionals in this discipline and handicrafts and even have and use, albeit with measure and a lot of modesty, your first material of drawing and painting.
He begins to show visible symptoms of a great artistic sense and sensitivity in his school, qualities that would not go unnoticed by the tutor teacher who at that time would govern his fifth year of basic general education who proposed the task of fully decorating every month to a large extent. size the classroom walls with impressive drawings painted with crayons on brown paper full of illustrations that documented the science subject that was taught at that time and that would mean acquiring great security and precision in drawing as well as in learning of the subjects
1975
For no apparent reason that inspires him, he begins to test and study the effect of depth in painting in order to obtain the sensation of three dimensions, creating a work composed of three parts, a diffuse colored background on cardboard devoid of detail and two glass panels. in which he intersperses various figures painted in superimposed planes, all made in tempera. Its title, “Three-Dimensional - 1975”. The motif is a recreation of an illustration printed inside a fantastic book that narrated the story of "The Children of Captain Grant" by Jules Verne, a gift from his cousin Mari Carmen during her convalescence in bed due to the continuous fevers she suffered due to angina inflammation, something very common in him during this period, and whose characters of the time seem to be surprised by the information published by the press.
1976
Once the compulsory General Basic Education cycle has finished, he will insistently beg his parents, until then in disagreement, in an attempt to convince them to allow him to continue his baccalaureate training at the study center. "Juan XXIII" Alcorcón (Madrid) near his workplace. They will end up accepting, but in exchange for incompatibility with his work obligations, he will be forced to complete his classes at night. He will opt for the branch of science knowing that he could combine it with the subject of drawing.
During these first years of high school he will befriend those who will turn out to be his best and most faithful friends for life, "Manuel Redondo and Félix Rubio". They will be the ones he will entrust all his pictorial concerns and they will be the ones who most influence his education and behavior during so many hours of talks, meetings and leisure time.
He makes what will be his first portrait of the ruling monarch "Juan Carlos I - 1976-77" carried out on cardboard and tempera and later the first works in oil: Dead Christ (1976-77-78) Velvet Still Life (1976-77 -78)
1977
Moisés, a friend of the family and a regular consumer of art products from the family business, an amateur and art lover, gives him several books about the pen and Chinese ink drawing technique of which he is very passionate, encouraging his learning. It will certainly be of great help to you during these early years.
He participates in the Plastic Arts contest of the "Centro de Estudios Académicos Juan XXIII" in Alcorcón (Madrid). He is awarded the 2nd Prize with the work made in Chinese ink "Nativity-1977". He carries out works in oil such as: El Parasol (1977) Rural Landscape (1977-78)
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1978
He is hired as a sign maker first and in the decoration of large tents in the factory-workshop of "Toldos Caste-llanos" Alcorcón (Madrid) run by D. Eladio Castellanos. From now on he will receive and will have to take care of numerous and complex drawing and graphic works, always on the sidelines and outside working hours in the family store.
Influenced by fashions and his closest environment, he is attracted to music, which leads him to learn this instrument in a self-taught way, with a guitar manual discarded by his brother. Soon after, he will enter the "Edimey" music studies academy, where he will receive solfeggio and Spanish guitar classes for two years. Alcorcon (Madrid).
He makes numerous and varied drawings and works in different sizes and techniques for covers, slides and wall posters that he will use in the presentation and exposition of topics for different academic subjects.
He carries out what will be his first clay modeling job. He shows the torso of an Egyptian pharaoh about 25 cm high, partially colored which he will give the title “Egyptian”.
He visits the "Museo del Prado" Madrid for the first time, a building at that time dilapidated and faded that will pleasantly surprise him. He carries out the oil: Still life pumpkin, figs, wineskin and basket-Meléndez (1978-79)
1979
He begins to project his first large mural of 1.5 x 4 meters in enamel paint "National Bastion - 1979" that would cover a large part of the walls of the interior patio of his parents' house, a project that will remain incomplete when he learns that it would be destroyed shortly after starting it due to remodeling works. He ends in oil: Invocation to a God (1979) and Drunkenness of Noah (1979)
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1980
He asks his parents for the possibility of studying Fine Arts at the Faculty of Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid, but they deny his request because they do not have the support of his brother, who was in charge of the family business at that time. . They doubt that this could bring him a good future.
But at constant insistence, at least he obtains permission to take the entrance exams as an illustrator at the subsidiary of the animation and filming studios "Han-na Barbera" in the United States. USA based in Madrid "Filman" de the hand of his sister M.ª Teresa About to complete the tests to approve his admission, he is required to enter the military service.
1981
This year he begins his journey through compulsory military service as a waiter in the Air Force officers' pool first and later in the military police force. He will hold a small painting exhibition in the officers' compound, encouraged by a captain who will end up esteeming and appreciating him highly. Four Winds (Madrid). Many vacant hours of waiting between service and service in the guardhouse that he dedicated to the study and reading of authors such as "Plato", "Aristotle", "Niezstche" and "Kafka" whom he met in his days as a student and that will immerse you in continuous reflection.
