Six items trace the life of Rafael Azuar Carmen, a figure deeply studied by numerous scholars including Elche-born (1921) and Alicante-based (2002) experts who compiled a dedicated dossier. This project, published in the twenty-fourth issue of a local review, was presented at the University of Alicante on a recent Wednesday. The material spans one hundred three pages and was coordinated by José Ferrándiz Lozano. It began as a centennial commemoration in 2021, aiming to illuminate and assess Azuar’s literary contributions for contemporary readers.
As the editor of the Vinalopó Center for Local Studies, the periodical known for its flexible scope consistently anchors each issue with a principal focus. In this case, although Azuar spent most of his life in the region, his professional path as an educator kept him tethered to the Vinalopó towns. He was born in Elche, spent his childhood in Monóvar, and his father’s teaching journey brought the family through many localities, shaping Azuar’s sense of place. He even transformed Salinas into the mythic backdrop of his best-known work. He received recognition, including the Café Gijón Award in 1967.
The publication’s cover features the Vinalopó Magazine emblem, signaling its role in chronicling regional culture. The project grew from a local impulse to preserve memory and knowledge in a way that transcends a single life and place.
During his youth, Azuar formed connections with Mutxamel and later with La Vilella Alta in Tarragona, where he taught for five years. Those experiences inspired his early novels and helped shape his literary voice. Alongside him, Teresa Ferrer and others connected with the planet of prizes and literary networks recognized his work, labeling him a candidate for notable awards.
From philology to history
Ferrándiz Lozano approached Rafael Azuar’s oeuvre from multiple angles, inviting scholars from philology, sociology, art, and history to reexamine the author’s corpus. The result is a multidisciplinary portrait that highlights how Azuar’s prose and poetry reflect and inform social realities of his era.
Juan Gil-Albert, who guided the centennial program two years ago, coordinated the inclusion of Azuar’s archive and personal library at the Alicante Cultural Institute. Before leaving that post in 2019, he described the project as a meaningful fusion of literary craft and historical context. He noted that Azuar’s novels offer a lucid social record of rural life in the 1950s and 1960s, while his poems reveal a personal sensibility and aesthetics that stood apart from dominant trends of the time.
The accompanying illustration for the story “Las raíces” by Víctor Salas appears in the volume, underscoring the collaboration between literature and visual art. In the same vein, the cataloging of Azuar’s published works and his ties to the art world are illuminated by the artists who provided cover designs for his books. Miguel Hernández’s influence, evident in the 1970s discourse during the later Franco era and the Transition, is highlighted as a recurrent thread. The volume closes with reflections on the persecution suffered by Azuar’s family after the war.
Article list
The dossier features several essays: Social and Rural Realism in Rafael Azuar’s Novels by José Ferrándiz Lozano; Rafael Azuar Carmen and Poetry: Notes on the Centennial Anniversary by Manuel Valero Gómez; All the Books by Rafael Azuar: An Annotated Bibliography by Cristina Llorens Estarelles; Rafael Azuar and Miguel Hernández: Two Jewels of the World by Aitor Larrabide; Rural Society and Women through the Eyes of Rafael Azuar Carmen: A Sociological Approach by Diana Jareño, Marián Abellán, and Zeus Sergio Domínguez Rubiothe, from the Valencian Sociological Association; Covers for art and word: Portraits of “Rafael Azuar” and “Los Azuar, maestros” by Juana María Balsalobre, and the involvement of Carlos Salinas.
Presentation in Alicante
The issue of Revista del Vinalopó was presented on a Wednesday evening, June 28, at 19:30, at the Ciudad de Alciante Headquarters located at 40 San Fernando Street, with an entrance from Velarde Street. Francisco J. Palomares, chair of CEL Vinalopó, and José Ferrándiz Lozano, coordinator of the Azuar file, were part of the program. Pilar Azuar Ruiz, the author’s daughter and co-chair of the Azuar 2021 Centenary Commission, participated as well. Attendance was free. CEL Vinalopó continues planning additional presentations to resume in September.