ART CITIES:Habana-Without Masks Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art
Christierson Collection began in 2007 by Chris von Christierson, the Collection’s objective is to educate on the strong cultural ties between Africa and Cuba, and to expose the realities of this connection that are richly portrayed in Afro-Cuban art. The collection is intended to be internationally exhibited as a contribution towards bridging cultural differences, exposing truths, and promoting tolerance through honest expression and understanding.
By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Archive
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA) in Havana opens a window into the lives and struggles of Cubans of African descent in its new exhibition “Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art” with works from Christierson Collection. The exhibition “Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art” has been assembled a diverse group of Cuban contemporary artists devoted to two themes: on the one hand, an insight into contemporary Afro-Cuban cultural and religious traditions and, on the other, an intense dialogue on the complex racial issues affecting the country today. These two major themes are supplemented by the artistic portrayal of Cuba’s presence in the Angolan Civil War and by portraits of Angolan women, as Hernández deems it important to include not only the presence of Africa in Cuba but also the presence of Cuba in Africa. Curated by Cuban art critic, curator, and researcher in Afro-Cuban ritual arts Orlando Hernández, the exhibition is comprised of 149 works by 40 Cuban artists from the last three decades, showcasing a diverse range of media from painting and drawing to sculpture, photography, and more. The artists include: Wifredo Lam, Bernardo Sarría Almoguea, Belkis Ayón Manso, Manuel Mendive Hoyo, José Bedia Valdés, Juan Carlos Alom, Elio Rodriguez, Roberto Diago Durruthy, Andres Montalván, and Douglas Pérez Castro. As part of the MNBA exhibition, a series of 29 historic photographs by Cuban photographer Roberto Salas are shown for the first time. Photographed during the early days of the Cuban Revolution, the series captures ethnographically significant moments of Afro-Cuban religious processions and candid moments of daily Cuban life from this period.
Info: Curator: Orlando Hernández, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Agramonte esquina con San Rafael, La Habana, Duration: 2/5-2/11/17, Days & Hours: Tue-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-14:00, www.bellasartes.cult.cu
