Rafel Jaume (Palma, 1928-1983) was a poet, art critic and cultural activist.

After studying in the Escola Nova of Palma, which was opened in 1939, he continued his education at the Liceo Español, where he completed his secondary schooling. Together with Pere Quetglas Ferrer ("Xam"), he founded the review Dabo (1951-1955 and 1960). He was also one of the founders of the artists’ group Tago, which aimed to breathe new life into the artistic milieu of Mallorca, and was its president from 1959 to 1961. Moreover, he was one of the founders of the review Alconase, islote de poesía (1961-1962). Apart from his work as a cultural activist, he taught in the Teatins primary school from 1952 to 1976.

As a poet, he was awarded the 1957 and 1959 City of Palma-Joan Alcover Poetry Prize for his collections Las oraciones y otros poemas (1958) and his unpublished work Los sonetos, respectively. In 1970 he wrote Tros de ciutat and, after 1971, he mainly wrote in Catalan, starting with the title Acudits i desencants (1971), which was followed by Escrit a Bunyola (1972), Acròstics (1973) and Plaça de la Boira (1973). After this, only a few works by Rafel Jaume were published: Molt més que les paraules (1979), Poemes, 1982-83 (1984), Escrit a Bunyola (1991), Mi soledad, mi tierra no habitada and Plaça de la Boira (2003). A considerable part of his poems has also been published in the detailed study by Bartomeu Bauçà, Plaça de la boira. Vida i obra poètica de Rafel Jaume (1993).

In 1976, Rafel Jaume opened Cavall Verd, a cultural centre and bookshop specialising in poetry, which became a venue for exhibitions, book launches, poetry readings, and homages, as well as a meeting place for young poets. He also wrote as an art critic for the daily Diario de Mallorca (1960-1966) and for Última Hora (1974-1978). In 1983, the Association of Catalan Language Writers founded the "Cavall Verd de la Crítica" poetry prize and, in 1984, the "Cavall Verd" Translation Prize.



Web page: Toni Terrades for AELC.
Images and photographs: Plaça de la boira. Vida i obra poètica de Rafel Jaume Palma: (Universitat de les Illes Balears - Institut d'Estudis Baleàrics, 1993).
Translated by Julie Wark.