2015: An intense year for Cuban Visual Arts

By: Adalys Pérez Suárez

Although the 12th Havana Biennial—to be held in May—has the highest expectations throughout this year regarding Visual Arts, this 2015 is seen as a period of interesting proposals for the audience and valuable opportunities for Cuban artists.

Directors of main institutions attached to the National Council of Visual Arts and Havana's art galleries involved in the organization of the events scheduled for this year referred to it at a meeting held with the specialized press.

Among the most immediate activities we have the opening of art exhibitions during the 24th International Book Fair, exactly at San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress, where art exhibits by Zaida del Río and Havana's Creative School of Photography will be opened as a tribute to the Republic of India, honorary guest country, and Gabriel García Márquez, respectively.

Moreover, to mention some of the proposals that may be enjoyed by this time in Havana, stands out a group of engravings by Mexican artist Francisco Toledo who will exhibit next February at El reino de este mundo art gallery, attached to José Martí National Library.

Another activity scheduled for upcoming May is an exhibition of posters from the last century, linked to the figure of Cuban National Hero at José Martí Memorial, located in Plaza de la Revolucion municipality, as part of the tributes that will take place on occasion of celebrating the 120th anniversary of his death in combat.

A new edition of the Naïf Art Festival during the summer season, this time sponsored by the Visual Arts Development Center, as well as Noviembre Fotográfico (Photographic November), which the Cuban Photo Library will reissue with a particular emphasis on the work of Raúl Corrales, whose 90th birth anniversary we will celebrate soon, are among the actions organized for 2015.

Other anniversaries included within the program of Cuban Visual Arts for this period are Fidelio Ponce’s 120th birthday, Carlos Enríquez’s 115^th birthday, the Domingo Ravenet’s 110^th birthday and Alfredo Sosa Bravo’s 85^th birthdays, just to set some examples.

Concerning the international arena, this 2015 we will have the presence of art works by Cuban artists from different ages and styles at the art exhibition of the Museum of Córcega, the second most important collection of France, after El Louvre, whose inauguration is scheduled for February.

Source: Cubarte