"Lenguage," Adonis Flores
The show seeks to discuss the cultural exchange between Cuba and the United States which, is politically charged, bringing up questions of globalization, capitalism, communism and the compromise of the individual in these institutions. The role of the U.S. dollar (which was declared legal currency in 1994 and supports the Cuban economy both on and off the black market) underlies the curation of the show. The work is edgier than expected from a dictatorship and engages in the international discourse thus bringing much needed revenue into Cuba as these artists have chosen to stay because they are able to voice their ideas, from what we know.
The most visibly politically charged work, though he claims it is not a critique of the Cuban government but stems from his experience fighting in Angola for the Cuban military, is Adonis Flores' work, see, "Lenguage," pictured above. Below, "Oratoria," another work from the show:
Close to Flores' work was the work of Fernando Rodriguez and his fictional alter ego, Francisco de la Cal, a blind artist who can only imagine art objects which, "critically examin(es) both reality and fiction: the individual and society, collectivism and individualism, freedom and censorship," (Cristina Vives, 2008). The work, "Ball Bearing," uses repetition of the same bullet-like 'factory made' character (according to the video created that coincides with this work) to create a circular forms connoting no beginning or end, pictured below.
Across from Rodriguez's work was Rene Pen(y)a who puts a different spin on the discussion of the individual and collective by saying he is not interested in politics but rather a man who as an entity is political, yet of course still subject to participate in society and its institutions. Watch this interview to hear more about his thoughts on man as entity: http://www.havana-cultura.com/INT/EN/cultura.html#/1821. Below is, "Untitled," one of his stunning photographs featured in the show:
Another highlight was the work of Aimee Garcia Marrero, whose work that was in the show I was unable to find an image of but who is represented by the Fraser Gallery of Washington, DC and Bethesda, MD. Here is the link to their webpage:
The work is quiet, compelling, contemplative and intense. Something you gravitate to when you walk into the gallery.
Finally, I'd like to talk about the work of Rene Francisco Rodriguez Fernandez whose social action (the artist considers himself 50% artist, 50% social worker) impressed and moved me by directly affecting on a grassroots level the economic hardship that Cuba is faced with today. He can also be found on the Havana-Cultural website as I was unable to find any images of his work. Rodriguez Hernandez had two videos on display that were part of a trilogy, "El Patio de Nin," and "La Casa de Rosa." For these pieces Hernandez's work took on the role of a project by taking the grant money he was given from a residency in Berlin and using it to enhance the houses of two residents of the some of the poorest neighborhoods in Havana. In, "El Patio de Nin," Rodriguez Hernandez turned the shambled backyard of a shanty into a garden for Nin, the elderly physically disabled woman who inhabited the house alone. In, "La Casa de Rosa," Rodriguez Hernandez documents his process of finding out who in Buena Vista, the dodgiest area of Havana, is the most deserving of his grant money. Finding that many members of the community said Rosa, he used his grant money to do whatever she wanted to her house, which was to re-do the kitchen and bathroom so that she could have running water.
All in all I'm really excited that this show was talking about a real connection, between individuals, institutions and in doing so crosses political boundaries. To speak generally, there was a 'soul' to the show that I hope to see more of in the near future. Juan Carlos Alom, another featured artist in the show, exemplifies this as he speaks of the artists' need for detachment not as disconnection but as a way of finding belonging. Alom says,
You did not go out into the countryside just to take a look nor to slyly steal the intimacies of its treasures. You went to express your wish of belonging. It does not matter if it only lasted a moment. These days when the artist boasts of detachment, your gesture is a comforting declaration in favor of a sense of belonging to a place. You enjoyed being recognized. You went there to look closer to see with your own eyes what you had already heard, perhaps what someone had written in his diary a few moments before his death. That is your reward. You have listened to the great teaching and now you can repeat it: “in the countryside. I am the countryside.
Abrazos,
Kate
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