CUBAN CONTEMPORARY PAINTERS: Hope, oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm, Orlando Quintero

Contemporary paintings by Cuban painters do not fit neatly in any type of box. Whether they live inside or outside of Cuba, these artists constitute no definable stylistic “school” in the art historical sense. This has always been the case. Even the innovative combinations of Afro-Cuban imagery within the vocabulary of modern painting that characterized the style of Wifredo Lam in the mid-twentieth century did not serve as a template for other Cuban artists.
That independence and diversity characterizes Cuban art to this day. Several factors, however, can help us understand the emergence and character of an internationally recognized.
Cuban art from the 1980s onward, what some have called the “Cuban Renaissance” or “New Cuban art.”

The colonial period saw paintings flourish and many new techniques were developed in this era. The first Cuban graphic artist was Francisco Javier Baez who was known for his religious themes as well as advertising for tobacco and cigar brands. In these times many French artists came to the island and produced work based on their observation of life and nature of the region thus forming a wonderful visual representation that was true to the nature of those times. Cuba’s social structure changed considerably towards the end of the 18th century which resulted in many formalized institutions of the arts.

The 20th century saw the establishment of the first real exhibition center by the name of Salon de Bellas Artes. This played an important role in the commercialization of Cuban paintings because now the artwork was open to the public. This era also saw much debate on the intellectual side between the philosophies of art. Many of these debates could be read in top class magazines. The museum of modern art opened up which showcased the work of the best of the painters at that time. It was clear from the work of these artists that they aimed at influencing the lives of the people by depicting changing trends and culture. Many new techniques such as serigraphy were developed in the beginning of the century. Victor Manuel of this era is known to have experimented with a lot of techniques. The painting style of the Cuban artist continued to become modernized during the 40’s and 50’s. This was much in line with the international trend at that time. Abstract art found its way into the art culture of the island. The trend that has carried on from the time of the revolution is that of propaganda art. On the whole Cuban painting & arts have seen an extraordinary boom since the days of the revolution.

The 25th anniversary of the Biennial's foundation and the realization of its 10th edition are seen by the organizers as an opportunity to look back on its history, and to reflect on the principles that have been the main concept of this art event.
Even though until now the Biennial was dedicated to the visual arts from Latin America, Africa and Asia, and to artists from these regions in the diaspora, there where artists invited in several occasions who did not comply with these criteria. With the 10th Havana Biennial the restricted focus on the so-called "Third World" or "South" will be officially expanded. In the first statements on the theme of the Havana Biennial 2009, an explicit openness is being mentioned.

Hope, oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm, Orlando Quintero

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