Summer is fast approaching with its vacation plans… Perhaps some of you will have the great idea to visit Cuba? I just got back! So, taking advantage of a little break (or getaway) from Mademoiselle Bon Plan, I couldn’t resist the pleasure of sharing my latest favorites, especially in Havana which is celebrating its 500th anniversary this year.
First, I will show you some of the works installed in the capital during the last International Biennial of Contemporary Art. Then we will head to see the exhibitions of Zhanna Kadyrova at the Galleria Continua and Intersecciones (Intersections) at Factoria Habana. A quick stop at the folk art gallery La Libertija and we will visit the boutique hotel Malecon 663, a work of art in itself! To finish (and whet your appetite), we will take a little trip to the seaside, to Varadero (2 hours away), where I will show you some culinary sculptures adorning the buffets of the Royalton Hicacos Resort. A feast for the eyes!
_
Table of Contents
The International Biennial of Contemporary Art
A very important event on the other side of the Atlantic, it takes place every two or three years and brings together artists from all over the world, including many Cubans and Latin Americans. Its 13th edition was held from April 15 to May 15 on the theme “The Construction of the Possible,” very much linked to current events in this country in transition which, after half a century of Fidelist socialism, is opening up more and more to the world.
For a month, a multitude of venues hosted exhibitions and the streets of Havana were filled with works of art. One of the most important events, Behind the Wall (Detrás del muro), lined the Malecón boulevard and the city with a whole parade of sculptures and installations, such as the overturned turtle by Fabelo, a famous Cuban artist.
Sometimes certain works remain from one Biennial to the next, such as the paintings by Buren that discreetly frame the doors of the old town with their black and white stripes. Or this huge photo by JR (a young boy lying down) which will disappear in a few months or weeks with the construction wall on which it is located. It all makes for a very lovely walk.
_
Zhanna Kadyrova at Galleria Continua
This trendy Italian gallery has branches in France, China, and for a few years now, in Havana, where it has taken over an old cinema in the Chinese quarter. In this vast space and its balcony, the walls have been left as they were, that is to say, completely dilapidated, in accordance with a certain aesthetic of the ruin, very typical of Havana.
Also very Cuban, is the recovery of objects to transform them into “decorative” elements or works of art. Zhanna Kadyrova, a young Ukrainian artist, is no exception. Her installation Permiso para el coctel (Cocktail Permit) was created from old pieces of grilles, balconies, stained glass, elevator parts, or crystal chandeliers… A colorful and joyful set where the half-moon glass panes (traditionally used to block the sun in interiors) play the role of orange slices; and the metal wheels, the slices of some magical fruit, in dream Mojitos or Daiquiris…
On the mezzanine, another installation, Second Hand, uses old hospital tiles to create dresses and work smocks. Meanwhile, at the back of the stage, a large white protuberance (a belly) by Anish Kapoor entitled Gestation, gradually reveals itself to the eye.
As always in Cuba, messages collide: a birth that is delayed, locks that still need to be broken to really celebrate… The Cuban reality and its latest blocks (the American embargo) are the hidden actors of this sparkling artistic cocktail!
Galleria Continua "Permiso para el coctel" by Zhanna Kadyrova, until August 25, 2019 108 Rayo St, between Cuchillo and Zanja streets, Centro Habana Tel.: (+53) 55 516 507 Open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm
_
Intersections at Factoria Habana
Factoria is a very pretty space in Old Havana, a sort of mini Palais de Tokyo that, between metal beams and picture rails, is dedicated to fairly sharp contemporary art. After the Convergences and Divergences exhibitions by Rafael Villares (we told you about them in a previous article), here is the third part of a trilogy intended to break down the boundaries between art, design, architecture, and science.
On the ground floor, you will find a selection of Cuban conceptual artists whose works prioritize idea over form, content over beauty. Their concerns, as always, are those of the future, exile, the Revolution, and the relationship with the United States. Thus, if the Desired Land (Pais deseado) by Tonel shows us a fertile island, made up of a multitude of appetizing fruits and vegetables, The Old Friends by Angel Toirac have not forgotten, among other guests, the “Yankee” cowboy Lucky Luke. As for The Absence (or The Birthday) by Yoan Capote, it lines up the sad series of empty hangers of friends in exile.
Further on, one smiles at the Emblems by Dagoberto Rodriguez, which are none other than chrome parts from old American cars bearing revolutionary precepts: Yo soy Fidel (I am Fidel), Patria o muerte (Homeland or death), Venceremos (We shall overcome)…
On the first floor, it’s a completely different atmosphere! We discover the fabulous Mexican architect Lucila Aguilar who reconciles the communities of Chiapas with the environment by having them build bamboo houses in 6 weeks! Bamboo structures, models, video, and photos detail this altruistic project which sits alongside all sorts of surprising inventions such as textile solar panels, electricity provided by street vendors, sandal-lamps, or hat-lamps!
La Factoria Habana Intersecciones Exhibition, until August 30, 2019 308 O'Reilly St, between Habana and Aguiar streets, Old Havana Tel.: 53(0)78 610 791 and 53(0)78 649 518
_
La Libertija, folk art gallery
This very pretty gallery was opened a few months ago on the ground floor of a modern building in Vedado, a stone’s throw from the mythical Hotel Nacional (where all the mafia stayed in the 30s…). It is the work of young visual artist and photographer Anais Triana who, while waiting to realize her great project of an artistic-peasant community in the countryside, set up her “business”! The idea was to create a place where all those who wanted to make something with their hands, from recycled materials, could exhibit and sell. And they all got involved (proof that we all have a hidden artist’s soul…): her brother, her neighbors, her friends, and many others…
Here, a mechanic makes small trees from wire salvaged at the garage. There, a mother-daughter duo, Maria-Josefa Arrango and Patricia Urrutia, who create small textile paintings (the former won a prize at the Patchwork Biennial). On the display racks, you can find small engravings and drawings (notably by Anais), macramé mobiles, puppets, vintage lamps made with plastic cable ties, crochet dolls, jewelry, and a thousand small works for just a few euros.
The name of the gallery, La Libertija, combines the words “dragonfly” (libélula) and “lizard” (lagartija) in Spanish. It fits well with this generous folk art project that sneaks through the Havana jungle with freedom and skill!
La Libertija 21st St, at the corner of N street, Vedado, Havana Tel.: (+53) 78 323 260 Open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm
_
The boutique hotel Malecon 663
This place, created by a French woman and her husband (a Cuban musician) a year and a half ago, is located by the sea, on the legendary Malecon boulevard, between the old town and the Vedado district. Intended to be 100% made in Cuba, it is the kingdom of art, decor, and vintage. Its three rooms and one suite (one per floor), which all bear the names of Cuban songs, have been very nicely decorated by Cuban designers such as Orlando Inclan or Dario Veranez, on the themes of contemporaneity, santeria (Afro-Cuban religion), or Art Deco. As for the bar, the restaurant, the stairs, and the rooftop, they compete with all sorts of antiques or salvaged objects.
Have you ever seen bottle racks used as shelves? Stools with handlebars and bicycle wheels? You’ll find them at Malecon 663, which, in addition to “pampering” you and bending over backward for you, organizes musical evenings on the rooftop (a different style every night), tours of the city in an old American car, visits to the neighbors, and exhibitions of painters, photographers, or graphic designers on the walls or in the shop. A way to experience Havana joyfully and differently!
Malecon 663 663 Malecon Blvd, between Belascoain and Gervasio streets Centro Habana Tel.: (+ 53) 78 601 459
_
Culinary art, folk art…
Cuba is like a fabulous orchard where fruits and vegetables grow in abundance in the most natural and organic way. Large hotels take advantage of this by offering their guests sumptuous buffets full of mangoes (when in season), guavas, papayas, melons, watermelons, oranges, grapefruits… Their skins are often used to make sculptures and decorations right in the middle of dishes, seafood, and desserts. These few images were taken at the main restaurant of the Royalton Hicacos Resort hotel in Varadero. To finish, a puff pastry representing the Cuban flag!
_
Practical Info / Traveling to Havana
Air France offers a daily flight (about 9 hours) to this destination, from €570 in economy class. This time, we tested the Premium Economy class which is truly a “plus,” especially for the return trip, because as it takes place at night, the wider, shell-style seats are more comfortable; they recline more and allow you to rest your feet. In addition, this class entitles you to twice as much checked baggage weight (2 x 23 kg), an accessory kit (eye mask, toothpaste, headset covers…), and quite a few other very pleasant benefits.
For all information: Cuba Tourist Office in France, 2 passage du Guesclin, 75015 Paris. Tel.: 01 45 38 90 10
To go to Havana, it is also necessary to have a passport and to obtain a visa for Cuba via a specialized company. It is valid for 30 days from arrival on site, with a possible extension upon request at an immigration office. Note: children also need a visa to enter the country.
_
All these beautiful discoveries were made during a trip for the FIT CUBA 2019 organized by MINTUR. All our thanks to Saily, director of the Cuba Tourist Office in France, and to Pierre, press relations collaborator.
I hope that with all this I have made you want to discover Cuba and Havana, and if you, too, have your tips and good addresses for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!
Photo credits: Valérie Collet Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization is mandatory before any use
