Miguel Arteche
Miguel Salinas Arteche (4 June 1926 – 22 July 2012), best known as Miguel Arteche, the name he adopted after legally reversing his maternal and paternal surnames in 1972, was a Chilean poet and novelist. He was born in Nueva Imperial, Cautín, 9th Region, on June 4, 1926, but spent most of his adult life in Santiago, Chile serving in academics. He was also awarded government positions, both in Chile and abroad. His writings appeared first in the Anthology of the Generation of 1950, compiled by Enrique Lafourcade, a well-known Chilean writer. Biography. He studied Law in the  Universidad de Chile, but shortly dropped to study Literature in the Universidad de Madrid, in Spain from 1951 to 1944. His work ranges from poetry to novel and short stories. In 1947 he publishes his first book, "Invitación al olvido". He keeps on publishing poetry books, with "Cantata del desterrado" as his last book before parting to Europe. Spain will be fundamental to his writing, approaching him to his family roots and the intellectual world. He later returns to Chile, where he continues his writing. It is in 1976 that he writes one of his most famous books, "Destierros y  tinieblas". In 1956, Chilean president Eduardo Frei Montalva nominates him to the Chilean Embassy in Madrid, where he remains until 1970, then he is added to the Chilean Embassy in Honduras, where he stays until 1971, remaining an additional period as Visiting Professor of the University. Once again he returns to Chile. He soon opposes to the military government of Augusto Pinochet, which will lead to less frequent publication of his books and marginalization of his work. Only after the return of democracy in Chile he is able to republish his books. In 1996 he is awarded with the "Premio  Nacional de Literatura", the greatest literary award in Chile. Literary generation of 1950. Miguel Arteche is one of the authors of the so-called "Generación literaria de 1950". Writers inside this category were born between 1920 and 1934. This classification was impulsed by author Enrique Lafourcade in 1954. Prominent writers of this generation are Miguel Arteche, Enrique Lafourcade, Pablo Neruda, Vicente Huidobro, Humberto Díaz Casanueva, Rosamel del Valle, Jorge Edwards, Claudio Giaconi, "et al." These writers are influenced by authors like Walt Whitman, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. Miguel Arteche has also stated that his influences come from the Spanish  Siglo de oro and (golden century). He taught his students the traditional art of metrical writing against the use of free verse. Works. "El agua" (the water), from "Destierros y Tinieblas" (Exiles and Darkness), 1963, is one of his known poems; he had it in display hand-carved in wood at the entrance of his studio. Translated by Walter Hilliger, one of his students from the 90s: