Ateneo

Orestes Campos and Reinaldo Pagan at Murcia Chys Gallery

Cuban Art News, Orestes Campos, Reinaldo Pagan Avila No Responses »

Feb 162012

The Murcia Chys Gallery in Spain has opened an exhibit entitled DIVERTIMENTOS featuring the paintings of Cuban artists Orestes Campos and Reinaldo Pagan Avila. From the 30th of January until the 18th of February you will have the opportunity to see the works of these two incredible Cuban artists. Both Campos and Pagan were some of the original artists first featured here on Ateneo Art Cuba Gallery a long, long time ago.

“Concebimos la obra de arte como resultado de la idea, pero valoramos el oficio como complemento de la misma.” Roughly translated means, “We design the artwork as a result of the idea, but the trade value as a complement to it.” From the manifesto of the group of artists of CARA-JO of which both Pagan and Campos are founding members.

In 1991, Cara-Jo was a Cuban art project formed by a small group of artists including Yuri Moreno, Reinaldo Pagan, Leonardo Rubio and Orestes Campos in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Cara-Jo, the name of which can be translated to many things and meanings or simply put, My Double Face.

And so the story began with each artist putting their brush to a single canvas.

As fate would have it, poet Ginés Aniorte, (who already knew of their work since early 2000) proposed they create a series of works from their own ideas. The main theme of Divertimentos are portraits of figures of history, individuals extracted from their space and time, their reality and circumstances, and sometimes their clothing, in order to create a new image, capable of honoring or criticizing their actions, which in turn was a point of reflection for Pagan and Campos. In this idea, something interesting in art was found.

We are grateful to Ginés Aniorte for letting us know about this powerful exhibition of two of our favorite Cuban artists who have created these amazing works of art. Thank you.

The two images in this article are courtesy of Pedro Serna. These images are two of the works of art from the Divertimentos exhibit at the Murcia Chys Gallery in Spain.

Unfortunately, neither artist could obtain a visa quickly enough to attend the opening of this important exhibit. So slow moves the chains of bureaucracy; never did they understand the importance of art.

Collage Art in Cuba

Havana Art, Other Artists No Responses »

Feb 062012

Whilst in Havana, we saw many examples of collage as a contemporary form of art. Three examples caught our attention. The first image displayed here is by Cuban artist Alicia Perera, an female artist from Havana with a studio in Cojimar on the coast of Cuba, about an hour’s drive away. Cojimar is the town where American writer Ernest Hemingway made his home and we were on our way to visit his house. This mixed media collage is on canvas, made with acrylic paint and the images which symbolize a nostalgic definition of the things we love about Cuba or, more specifically, Havana. Beautiful women, Havana Club rum, perfect mojitos, music everywhere and text from newspapers and magazines. It reminds us of a Cuban singer we once heard sing. He called himself the Cuban Johnny Cash. His voice was deep and rich and powerful when he spoke and when he sung those lovely old Cuban songs. He said his voice came from years of Cuban rum and cigars. Old world Cuba and Juventud Rebelde – Rebellious Youth – this is the Cuba of today.

The second and third images are works of art featured at the Havana art gallery El Trasgu. These collages were created by Yunes Cura. The first collage is entitled “De la Serie Hola: Go!,” (2011), measuring 165 x 128cm. Mixed media on canvas.

The third collage work by Yunes Cura is called “De la Serie Hola: She Goes to Hollywood,” (2011) measuring 170 x 150 cm -both are large works and a very interesting assembly of images and text. If you think Cuba today is a lot of sad people living under a dictatorship, you are totally incorrect. It’s much more complex than that simplistic view of the Island to the south. You can see the same issues and concerns of youth anywhere, any place in the world. Everything is in its art – it always has been. It is vibrant and cultural and so wonderfully alive.

The El Trasgu Gallery, one of the art galleries in Havana, is owned by curator Hilda M. Barrio. Ms Barrio promotes the art of young, upcoming Cuban artists. The exhibition was called “Colorful,” showing Cuba and its youth portrayed by young artists. It is located in old Havana in a beautiful old renovated building with its entrance on the Paseo del Prado at the corner of Virtudes, in Habana Vieja. El Trasgu Art Gallery opened its doors last December, 2011.