Other Artists | Ateneo Art Cuba

Collage Art in Cuba

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.

De la Serie Hola: Go! by Yunes Cura

De la Serie Hola: She Goes to Hollywood by Yunes Cura

Alicia Perera, Cuban Artist

Havana Art, Other Artists 1 Response »

Jan 282012

Alicia Perera is an artist from Havana. She also owns an art gallery which she shares with a couple of other artists in Cojimar, a small coastal town, about an hour outside of Havana. Cojimar is the seaside town where American writer Ernest Hemingway bought a farmhouse and lived with one of his wives.

This example of contemporary Cuban art is called “Zombie,” a brilliantly colored painting done with acrylic paint on canvas measuring 31.25 x 15.5 inches. Alicia Perera’s work of art is delightful, painted in bold, brash strokes feminizing the zombie’s face. This painting by Alicia Perera shows the influence of cubism with powerful colour patterns in the mask-like portrait. Perera’s vision of a woman zombie, a living dead woman is actually gorgeous to behold.

One would think that using symbol of a zombie as the subject of a painting in Cuba is a strange subject to paint. But in the context of the zombie cult craze happening in Cuba and Latin America, no doubt influenced by Cuban film director Alejandro Brugués, and his recent film, “Juan of the Dead,” it is not surprising. Brugués’ “Juan of the Dead” was featured at the recent Cuban International Film Festival. “Juan of the Dead” opened to much critical acclaim from the Cuban and international press. It is bound to become a cult film when released worldwide. Alejandro Brugués describes it as a “zombie comedy,” the zombie movie he always wanted to make. The movie stars Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Andrea Duro, Jorge Molina, Luis Alberto García, Blanca Rosa Blanco, Jazz Vilá, Elsa Camp, Susana Pous, Andros Perugorría, and Eliecer Ramírez.

For your entertainment, watch the official preview of the movie here.

This painting by Alicia Perera can be purchased from Ateneo Art Cuba – please visit our Cuban Art for Sale page for further information on buying this painting.