Concha Méndez

Concepción Méndez Cuesta (Madrid, 27 July 1898 – Coyoacán, Mexico, 7 December 1986) was a leading Spanish poet and dramatist and member of the Generation of '27 who became known in the literary world under the name Concha Mendez.

Concha was born into a well-to-do family and was educated in a French school, studying music and art. She was highlighted as a gymnast and became a champion swimmer. In 1919 she decided to travel the world spending time in London, Buenos Aires and Montevideo. When she was nineteen she met Luis Buñuel while vacationing in San Sebastián who became her first boyfriend. They were formally engaged for five years until she became tired of his insufferable character. Through this artistic atmosphere she became friends with Rafael Alberti, Federico García Lorca, and Luis Cernuda who encouraged her to join their group which become the Generation of '27. Concha and Alberti shared a love for the sea and later in her life she considered him to be her mentor. She published her first collection of poetry, Inquietudes (Concerns) in 1926.

In 1931 Lorca introduced her to the poet and publisher from Málaga, Manuel Altolaguirre They were married the following year and together founded the printing press Verónica which edited the publication, Héroe (for which Juan Ramón Jiménez contributed lyrical character portraits of Spanish heroes) and 1616. The name 1616 commemorates the year of the deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare and to foster literary relations between England and Spain the poems were published in their original language as well as the translation. Federico García Lorca, Luis Cernuda, Jorge Guillén, Pablo Neruda, Miguel de Unamuno and Moreno Villa were collaborators.

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