The Sacred Heart, 1995 Lazaro Saavedra GonzalezIf I have to provide one overall impression of the Cuba Avant-Garde exhibition it is that of disappointment. I'm afraid it was a little too avant my garde. I'm reminded of visiting the old MOMA. You started on the ground floor and by the top floor you were into performance art, if you know what I mean. Having established my lack of bona fides.....
There were some notables, a tinker toy World Trade Center complete with embedded plane. There was a sizeable wooden zipper with little wooden people teeth, talk about your cogs in the machine. There was a big old car with many feet instead of tires. And there was the painting above, my favorite because it encapsulates so well the doble cara or two faces Cubans have
perfected. Actually, that's what struck me. About half of the works are by artists living and working in Cuba, yet there was no patria o muerte about it. Although the political informs many of the works, most are not overtly political in nature. Even the set of panels depicting the wedding of Fidel and the Virgin of Charity, La Virgen de la Caridad, lends itself to a variety of interpretations, although I would defy anyone to miss the mockery implicit in the work.
If as TS Elliot once said artists are the antennae of civilization, Radio Marti is not the
only thing being jammed. So would I go out of my way to see it? Nope. Would I go see the absolutely world class permanent collection of the Old Masters? In a heartbeat. And don't forget the Butcher photos and the Goya exhibit while you're there.
perfected. Actually, that's what struck me. About half of the works are by artists living and working in Cuba, yet there was no patria o muerte about it. Although the political informs many of the works, most are not overtly political in nature. Even the set of panels depicting the wedding of Fidel and the Virgin of Charity, La Virgen de la Caridad, lends itself to a variety of interpretations, although I would defy anyone to miss the mockery implicit in the work.
If as TS Elliot once said artists are the antennae of civilization, Radio Marti is not the
only thing being jammed. So would I go out of my way to see it? Nope. Would I go see the absolutely world class permanent collection of the Old Masters? In a heartbeat. And don't forget the Butcher photos and the Goya exhibit while you're there.
3 comments:
Why do they take their frustrations on Christ all the time? They just know that if they paint Mohamed doing something "indecent" they'll suffer violent consecuences. That's not "progressive". Pathetic painting(?) Pathetic art: Kitsch.
While I really liked the painting, and I think he used Jesus for a symbolic reason, Rafael, you have a point.
More importantly, you hit the nail on the head when it comes to my problem with the exhibition. To get there you have to pass incredible masterworks from the middle ages etc.... Then you get to this exhibit, and you're right, it looks like so much Kitsch. Great word. Thanks!
But where else in the United States are you going to see 60 works by 40 contemporary Cuban artists? It's the first one in a long time, and a good way to put the contemporary Cuban scene on the map in this country.
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