HAVANA BIENNIAL Xiixiimay 22 - June 21 / Havana, Cuba 2015
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MAY 2015 HAVANA BIENNIAL XIIXIIMay 22 - June 21 / Havana, Cuba 2015 Interviews with 12 of Cuba’s very best artists VIII Jornada Cubana contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia (May 5-23, 2015) The Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament (May 25-30, 2015) ART: THE 12TH HAVANA BIENNIAL HAVANA GUIDE RESTAURANTS — BARS & CLUBS — ACCOMMODATION You’ve Discovering Cuba Is NOT FAR FROM Waited Long Enough... Reach With Cuba Travel Services! Call us visit our web site to learn more 800-963-CUBA (2822) www.CubaTravelServices.com Direct Flights to Cuba Ground Transportation Assistance with Authorized Activities Car Rentals Group Itineraries Visa/Passport Application Hotel Reservations VIP Services For OFAC authorized passengers only. For terms and conditions see operator-participant contract. Flights operated by American Airlines and Sun Country Airlines License number CTS#2074621 La conga irreversible de los Carpinteros TO O H P With a Passion for Cuba Cuba Absolutely is an independent platform, which seeks to showcase the best in Cuba arts & culture, life-style, sport, travel and much more... We seek to explore Cuba through the eyes of the best writers, photographers and filmmakers, both Cuban and international, who live work, travel and play in Cuba. Beautiful pictures, great videos, opinionated reviews, insightful articles and inside tips. HAVANA GUIDE The ultimate guide to Havana with detailed reviews of where to eat, drink, dance, shop, visit and play. Unique insights to the place that a gregarious, passionate and proud people call home. La Guarida Like us on Facebook for Over 100 videos including Follow us on Twitter for beautiful images, links to interviews with Cuba’s best regular updates of new interesting articles and artists, dancers, musicians, content, reviews, comments regular updates. writers and directors. and more. OUR CONTRIBUTORS We are deeply indebted to all of the writers and photographers who have shared their work with us. We welcome new contributors and would love hear from you if you have a Cuba-related project. You can contact us at [email protected]. Photo by Y. Monte (Accion 135. Herman Nitsh.) 2013 / Havana Cover picture interview Alejandro Campins by Y. Monte EDITORIAL Welcome to our May issue of What’s On Havana, dedicated to the 12th Havana Biennial which takes place from May 22 to June 21 in Havana. The theme of this event, Entre la idea y la experiencia [Between the idea and experience], is reminiscent of Spanish poet Luis Cernuda’s famous book La realidad y el deseo, which brings all his poetry together under one title. In turn, the Biennial will bring together 119 artists from 44 countries, who will be interacting with the city and its people gauging satisfactions, shortages and aspirations in relation to their surroundings, and the role of art in everyday life and in the micro-spaces of socialization. Jorge Fernández, who chairs the event, has said, “We shouldn’t think that people don’t understand modern art; rather, what is interesting is the reaction of each of these people.” Put more simply, this is an opportunity to see not just the work of Cuba’s very best artists who have worked feverishly to prepare their contributions, but artists from around the world as well, who will turn Havana into a gallery of ideas, images and idiosyncrasies. For an entire month, you will be spoilt for choice with exhibitions of work being shown from the picturesque town of Casablanca on the other side of Havana Bay, to popular Trillo Park in Centro Habana; from the outlying neighborhood of El Romerillo in western Havana to the Pabellón Cuba in the heart of El Vedado; from the majestic La Cabaña Fortress to an apartment in the Focsa Building. Within this issue we have included profiles of twelve of Cuba’s best artists all of whom will be participating within the Havana Biennial, and have also included a piece on Idania del Río: Putting Clandestina on the map in recognition of her truly outstanding design work. Away from the world of art, May has a number of other important events starting with the VIII Jornada Cubana contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia. Leading this unique revolution on behalf of the LGBT community is activist Mariela Castro Espín. These series of events represent Cuba’s participation in the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, which takes place on May 17. Elsewhere try and get a spot if you can in a boat for The Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament and don’t miss Cuba’s premier music awards taking place from May 15-25. May 2015 Highlights (Havana, unless stated) May 2-8, 2015 XXII Festival Internacional Romerías de Mayo (Holguín) May 5-23, 2015 VIII Jornada Cubana contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia May 15-25 Cubadisco: The Cuban Grammies May 25-30, 2015 The Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament May 22-June 21: The 12th Havana Biennial Thanks to all of our contributors, sponsors, partners and readers. Do please keep providing us with your feedback, comments and suggestions. All enquiries should be directed to Sophia Beckman at [email protected]. All the best. Viva Cuba! Manuel Mendive’s 100 bare naked ladies (Alejandro) MAY 2015 The 12th Havana Biennial p9 ART: TH Abel Barroso: Globalizing irony p11 THE 12 HAVANA Alejandro Campins: Beautiful landscapes with a classical BIENNIAL touch p14 Candelario: From the subjective to the utilitarian p16 Humberto Díaz: From instinct to lucidity p20 Carlos Garaicoa: Reconstructing urban memory p23 Frank Martínez: Reconstructing the past p27 Yornel Martínez: Freedom of the image p30 Wilfredo Prieto: Simple, concise and impacting p32 Carlos Quintana: Living intensely, using no masks p36 Sandra Ramos: The other island p39 Grethell Rasúa: Between organic and controversial p41 Niels Reyes: Scratching beneath the surface p43 Idania del Río: Putting Clandestina on the map p45 The 12th Havana Biennial: Program details p49 Visual Arts p59 — Photography p61 — Dance p62 —Music HAVANA LISTINGS p63 — Theatre p70 — For Kids p71 OTHER Cubadisco: The Cuban Grammies p73 FEATURED XXII Festival Internacional Romerías de Mayo p76 VIII Jornada Cubana contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia ARTICLES p81 The Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament p84 Features - Restaurants - Bars & Clubs - Live Music - HAVANA GUIDE Hotels - Private Accommodation p87 The 12th Havana Biennial by Victoria Alcalá Once again Havana becomes the capital of art from 44 countries, who will be interacting with the for an entire month, while art buffs arrange and city and its people, gauging satisfactions, shortages rearrange programs and schedules with the and aspirations in relation to their surroundings, nasty suspicion that they will not have enough and the role of art in everyday life and in the time to see everything they would like to. All the micro-spaces of socialization. Jorge Fernández, more so since the organizers have declared that who chairs the event, has said, “We shouldn’t think the 12th Havana Biennial will not have a central that people don’t understand modern art; rather, exhibition area and “aims to involve architecture, what is interesting is the reaction of each of these design, the communication phenomena, science people. For us it is very important to have the work and the ways in which habitat is constructed, in engage in dialogue wherever it needs to. This has the interest of favoring the social insertion of the been a job that has required a lot of discussion proposals, something that historically has been but the most important thing is how to create a part of the esthetic proposals of the so-called dialogue between the “in here” and the “out there.” South.” And so the exhibitions will be distributed from the picturesque town of Casablanca on the Even though it is difficult to recommend anything other side of Havana Bay, to popular Trillo Park in due to the many options and the wide-flung Centro Habana; from the outlying neighborhood distribution of the sites, I personally would not of El Romerillo in western Havana to the Pabellon miss the second edition of Behind the Wall, whose Cuba in the heart of El Vedado; from the majestic chief curator, Juan Delgado Calzadilla (Juanito) La Cabaña Fortress to an apartment in the announced the inclusion of 50 different projects Focsa Building. Should there be anything to be by artists—not only visual, but musicians, writers considered as “the center” it will surely have and actors as well—from various countries, who to be the most ancient part of town, legendary will be occupying a part of the Malecón and areas Old Havana, resurrected from ruins thanks to across the avenue. The exhibition area will be the immeasurable work carried out by the City open from 5pm, May 24 until June 22, when the Historian, Eusebio Leal, and his troop. Biennial will officially be closed. Apart from the always attractive presence of artists like Manuel The theme of the 12th Biennial, “Between the idea Mendive and Roberto Fabelo, I’m sure that the ice and experience,” is reminiscent of Spanish poet rink that New York artist Duke Riley plans to set Luis Cernuda’s famous book La realidad y el deseo, up on the corner of Malecón and Belascoaín Street which brings all his poetry together under one title. will get the prize for popularity. The 200 pairs of In turn, the Biennial will bring together 119 artists skates that Riley will be bringing to Havana will contents .COM With a passion for Cuba PAGE 7 be precious few given the number of children and Kosuth will also lecture at ISA on the same day adults eager to make their debut in a winter sport at 9:30 am and will be exhibiting at the National under the scorching Cuban sun.