Hoy vamos a hablar con el maestro argentino Osvaldo Laino que lleva casi un siglo repartiendo sonrisas y pinchazos a quien lo merece con su sátira y humor. La edad no importa, porque nunca deja de hacer proyectos, organizar exposiciones y fue durante un breve descanso de toda esta actividad que nos envió sus respuestas a mi cuestionario. No siempre fueron respuestas directas, sino que engloban varias preguntas, en cualquier caso lo importante es precisamente tu creatividad al hablarnos de la vejez y de tu estado de ánimo.
OMS - ¿El caricaturista también envejece?
Osvaldo Laino - Continuar dibujando en los años dorados, es un regalo de Dios. Para comentar cómo continuar trabajando durante el envejecimiento, voy a describir brevemente sobre mi persona....
En unos cortos meses voy a cumplir 96 años, no recuerdo cuándo comencé a dibujar, los lápices estaban siempre en mis manos....y siguen estando. Los años no disminuyeron el entusiasmo de dibujar.
Después de mi retiro hace 20 y tantos años transcurridos, no recuerdo cambio alguno. Por supuesto que no tengo ya la obligación de hacerlo como entonces, pero mis manos son como el bailarin, se mueven con deseos de moverse en una pieza de papel.
Mi rutina hoy en dia es un poco distinta. Se acabó el viaje diario a la oficina del 9am a 5pm. Todas las mañanas salimos con mi esposa Celeste a desayunar, y lo hacemos en tres cafeterías distintas para evitar una rutina.
En ellas encontramos grupos de gente "mayor" que disfrutan el momento con sus amigos, ex compañeros de escuela o de trabajo....que hacen?... simplemente disfrutar el momento...compartiendo la charla, los comentarios del día o de la familia...los recuerdos. Es decir, seguir viviendo con satisfacción y un poco de alegría.
El regreso a casa también tiene su rutina y no se termina el dia sin sentarme a la mesa de dibujo. Un trabajito free-lance....participar en algún concurso, un regalito a los amigos, alguna colaboración y recorrer el facebook .
Cuando me acuesto es siempre con un libro....muchas noches me despierto porque se me ocurrió una idea, siempre tengo en mi mesa de noche un cuadernito para escribir lo soñado...si no lo hago es muy posible que al día siguiente no puedo recordar lo sucedido....esto no le pasó a usted alguna vez mi querido colega?
En mi condición de humorista, disfruto los comentarios con la gente de las cafeterías, vale mencionar también que los temas son un poco repetidos.....la salud, los achaques, las píldoras, las visitas regulares al doctor, sin embargo todo eso no reduce el entusiasmo, porque la risa olvida todos los males. Esas situaciones me nutren de ideas y mantienen mi cerebro trabajando.
OMS - ¿Hasta qué punto las discapacidades físicas interfieren con su trabajo? ¿Puedes superar estas desventajas con nuevas técnicas, con instrumentos alternativos que recrean tu característica personal?
Osvaldo Laino - Regresando a nuestra querida profesión, en lo que respecta a mi persona, debo manifestar que mi pulso hasta ahora sigue firme, mi visión sigue bien, uso anteojos desde hace casi 40 años y mi mente sigue buscando temas para un nuevo trabajo. Es posible que algunos colegas con problemas recurran a subterfugios tales como los "ISMOS...o modernos métodos; en mi caso sigo con mi vieja rutina, prefiero dibujar y colorear "the old fashion", de vez en cuando incluyo algunos en la computadora para colorear.
OMS - ¿Cómo fue la adaptación a las nuevas tecnologías? La velocidad del cambio fue vertiginosa, lo que, por un lado, facilitó ciertos trámites técnicos, pero también complicó a quienes no les gustó el cambio. ¿Cómo te sucedió esto? ¿Sigues prefiriendo las técnicas clásicas?
Osvaldo Laino - Respecto a las nuevas tecnologías debo admitir que se logran cosas admirables, pero en manos y mentes jóvenes son mas efectivas ya que ellos nacieron con una computadora desde la cuna. Ello no quiere decir que a nuestras edades no somos capaces de lograr resultados positivos, siempre seguimos curiosos y nuestras mentes se renuevan un poco con lo desconocido.
OMS - ¿El envejecimiento también cambia el aspecto filosófico del humor, haciéndolo amargo? Con la edad, con el peso de haber vivido mucho, de existir, de haber sido criticado varias veces... ¿la mirada se vuelve más satírica o irónica?
Osvaldo Laino - Para mi la llamada vejez es como un número, a medida que siguen aumentando, mejora la sabiduría y se acumulan mas material mental. También hay que aceptar que las células van muriendo con el paso de los "números", pero no por ello se pierde el sentido del humor....
Es sin duda muy natural mirar el pasado: los primeros garabatos....los sueños de llegar a ser un famoso y exitoso cartoonista, los primeros dibujos publicados y finalmente convertirse realmente en otro laburante del lápiz.
Todo este proceso natural nos conducen a formarnos humanamente en seres privilegiados: logramos realizar un trabajo que soñamos, que nos hace felices y los resultados van emparejados con la aceptación de la sociedad que vivimos. Nos divertíamos haciendo humor y el mundo lo disfrutaba, eso no cambia, lo hecho, hecho está, el pasado es para recordar y aprovechar el presente para seguir dibujando y disfrutando.
OMS - ¿Qué es para ti el humor y cuál es su importancia en la sociedad?
Osvaldo Laino - El humor es cosa seria y la risa es infalible. Nosotros los humoristas somos responsables de mover el mundo hacia un camino mas placentero, llegamos a los menos privilegiados como a los más poderosos y todos ellos aceptan nuestros mensajes: LA RISA, una extraordinaria y potente medicina.
Con una sonrisa los saludo afectuosamente.
Growing old with humor – Osvaldo Laino
by Osvaldo Macedo de Sousa
Today we are going to talk with the Argentine teacher Osvaldo Laino who has been delivering smiles and punctures to those who deserve it with his satire and humor for almost a century. Age does not matter, because he never stops doing projects, organizing exhibitions and it was during a brief break from all this activity that he sent us his answers to my questionnaire. They were not always direct answers, but rather they encompassed several questions. In any case, the important thing is precisely your creativity when talking to us about old age and your state of mind.
OMS - Does the cartoonist also age?
Osvaldo Laino - Continuing to draw in the golden years is a gift from God. To discuss how to continue working while aging, I will briefly describe myself....
In a few short months I will be 96 years old, I don't remember when I started drawing, the pencils were always in my hands....and they still are. The years did not diminish the enthusiasm for drawing.
After my retirement 20-odd years ago, I don't remember any changes. Of course I no longer have the obligation to do it like I did then, but my hands are like the dancer, they move with the desire to move on a piece of paper.
As a humorist, I enjoy the comments with people in cafeterias, it is also worth mentioning that the topics are a bit repeated.....health, ailments, pills, regular visits to the doctor, however all that It does not reduce enthusiasm, because laughter forgets all evils. These situations nourish me with ideas and keep my brain working.
OMS - To what extent do physical disabilities interfere with your work? Can you overcome these disadvantages with new techniques, with alternative instruments that recreate your personal characteristic?
Osvaldo Laino - Returning to our beloved profession, as far as myself is concerned, I must state that my pulse remains firm until now, my vision remains good, I have been wearing glasses for almost 40 years and my mind continues to search for topics for a new job. It is possible that some colleagues with problems resort to subterfuges such as "ISMOS...or modern methods; in my case I continue with my old routine, I prefer to draw and color "the old fashion", from time to time I include some on the computer to color.
OMS - How was the adaptation to new technologies? The speed of the change was dizzying, which, on the one hand, facilitated certain technical procedures, but also complicated it for those who did not like the change. How did this happen to you? Do you still prefer classic techniques?
Osvaldo Laino - Regarding new technologies, I must admit that admirable things are achieved, but in young hands and minds they are more effective since they were born with a computer from the cradle. This does not mean that at our ages we are not capable of achieving positive results, we always remain curious and our minds are renewed a little with the unknown.
OMS - Does aging also change the philosophical aspect of humor, making it bitter? With age, with the weight of having lived a long time, of existing, of having been criticized several times... does the look become more satirical or ironic?
My routine today is a little different. The daily trip to the office from 9am to 5pm is over. Every morning we go out with my wife Celeste to have breakfast, and we do it in three different cafeterias to avoid a routine.
In them we find groups of "older" people who enjoy the moment with their friends, former school or work colleagues....what do they do?...just enjoy the moment...sharing the talk, the comments of the day or of the family...the memories. That is, continue living with satisfaction and a little joy.
Returning home also has its routine and the day does not end without sitting down at the drawing table. A little free-lance job...participate in a contest, a gift to friends, some collaboration and browse Facebook.
When I go to bed it is always with a book...many nights I wake up because an idea occurred to me, I always have a little notebook on my nightstand to write down what I dreamed of...if I don't it is very possible that the next day I can't remember what happened...didn't this ever happen to you my dear colleague?
As a humorist, I enjoy the comments with people in cafeterias, it is also worth mentioning that the topics are a bit repeated.....health, ailments, pills, regular visits to the doctor, however all that It does not reduce enthusiasm, because laughter forgets all evils. These situations nourish me with ideas and keep my brain working.
OMS - To what extent do physical disabilities interfere with your work? Can you overcome these disadvantages with new techniques, with alternative instruments that recreate your personal characteristic?
Osvaldo Laino - Returning to our beloved profession, as far as myself is concerned, I must state that my pulse remains firm until now, my vision remains good, I have been wearing glasses for almost 40 years and my mind continues to search for topics for a new job. It is possible that some colleagues with problems resort to subterfuges such as "ISMOS...or modern methods; in my case I continue with my old routine, I prefer to draw and color "the old fashion", from time to time I include some on the computer to color.
OMS - How was the adaptation to new technologies? The speed of the change was dizzying, which, on the one hand, facilitated certain technical procedures, but also complicated it for those who did not like the change. How did this happen to you? Do you still prefer classic techniques?
Osvaldo Laino - Regarding new technologies, I must admit that admirable things are achieved, but in young hands and minds they are more effective since they were born with a computer from the cradle. This does not mean that at our ages we are not capable of achieving positive results, we always remain curious and our minds are renewed a little with the unknown.
OMS - Does aging also change the philosophical aspect of humor, making it bitter? With age, with the weight of having lived a long time, of existing, of having been criticized several times... does the look become more satirical or ironic?
Osvaldo Laino - For me, the so-called old age is like a number, as it continues to increase, wisdom improves and more mental material accumulates. We must also accept that cells die with the passage of "numbers", but that does not mean we lose our sense of humor...
It is certainly very natural to look at the past: the first doodles....the dreams of becoming a famous and successful cartoonist, the first published drawings and finally truly becoming another pencil worker.
This entire natural process leads us to form humanly into privileged beings: we manage to do a job that we dream of, that makes us happy and the results are paired with the acceptance of the society in which we live. We had fun making humor and the world enjoyed it, that doesn't change, what's done is done, the past is to remember and take advantage of the present to continue drawing and enjoying.
OMS - What is humor for you and what is its importance in society?
Osvaldo Laino - Humor is serious and laughter is infallible. We comedians are responsible for moving the world towards a more pleasant path, we reach the least privileged as well as the most powerful and they all accept our messages: LAUGHTER, an extraordinary and powerful medicine.
With a smile I greet you affectionately.