WHAT’SON HAVANA ! FEB 2013 Review of Andrew Moore’s spectacular new book, Cuba page 14 The 15th Habanos festival February 26 to March 2 page 18 Havana’s Book Fair February 14-March 10 page 19 February 8-10 & 15-17 Ballet Nacional de Cuba .COM WHAT’SON HAVANA ! February 2013 Sex is very much in the city at Galer’a La Acacia for a homoerotic smorgasbord of art from many of Cuba’s best artists. John Michael Rusnak also has an excellent photography exhibition Fear of Nostalgia in the Fototeca de Cuba. Still in photography, Andrew Moore’s Cuba is lively, keen-eyed, terrible and lovely, [it] has the aspect of an unfinished collage. Alicia Alonso’s Ballet Nacional de Cuba is performing six nights in its temporary new home at the Teatro Nacional on Feb 8-10 and 15-17, while for a different dancing experience do check out El Beduino’s belly dancers every Saturday night. The 15th Habanos cigar festival takes center stage at month’s end, while outside Havana our pick has to be the 2nd International Harley Davidson Rally to Varadero (Feb 8-11). Finally, the International Book Fair kicks of in Havana on Valentines Day. We hope you enjoy this review. Any feedback and/or notices about events are always appreciated. You can contact us at [email protected] Photo above and cover by Andrew Moore from his book Cuba. ART | 4 DANCE | 7 MUSIC | 8 PHOTOGRAPHY | 13 PERFORMING ARTS | 14 FOR KIDS | 16 BEST EVENTS OUTSIDE OF HAVANA | 17 OTHER: 15TH HABANOS CIGAR FESTIVAL | 18 HAVANA BOOK FAIR | 19 LOVE IS THE AIR – VALENTINE’S DAY | 20 CONTEMPORARY BARS & CLUBS | 21 HAVANA RESTAURANT GUIDE | 22 ELENA’S UP & DOWNS TO DINING OUT IN HAVANA? | 23 ADDRESS BOOK | 25 page 1 | Feb www.CubaAbsolutely.com .COM WH T February: A ’SON Havana Good Time with Conner Gorry HAVAN A ! Conner Gorry Conner is one of the most insightful writers about Cuba she is the author of the blog, Here is Havana. The Havana Good Time application is a must for visitors to Cuba providing comprehensive and up to date details of the best places to visit, eat, party, and shop. Buckle up babies, you’re in for a wild ride this month. February may be short, but it certainly is sweet here in Havana where Valentine’s Day is taken almost as seriously as Mother’s Day (nothing, and I mean nothing, trumps Cuban Moms). This translates into concerts dedicated to lovers; ludicrously crowded restaurants where wait times can top over an hour; and wandering florists and minstrels for that last minute gift-giving. If you’ll be here with your honey on February 14th, I suggest avoiding the madness altogether by cooking a candlelight dinner in your casa particular; hosting a gourmet picnic at Parque Monte Barreto; or beholding the sunset seaside with a bottle of wine at the Jardines de 1830. Now on to my other top picks for February: Sex in the City Trust me when I say: there has never before been an exhibit like this in Cuba. Featuring over a dozen artists working in different mediums, this collection proves it’s a fine line between homoerotic and pornographic. Regardless of the inherent worth of individual pieces, this exhibit is groundbreaking and historically relevant for traditionally homophobic Cuba since it brings same sex relations out of the closet; through February 28th. 2nd International Harley Davidson Rally One weekend, hundreds of Cuban bikers, and scores of Harley Davidsons from before Obama was born: if last year’s rally is any indication, this is going to one hell of an exciting event with music, competitions, and lots of fun Cuban-style, climaxing with a concert by Cuban Harlista David Blanco. It makes a great photo opp and is a chance to mix and mingle with some cool, passionate locals. Rally takes off for Varadero from the Cupet in Guanabacoa on February 8, 1pm; activities continue through February 10 in central Varadero (1ra & Calle 43); all are welcome. page 2 | Feb www.CubaAbsolutely.com .COM December: Havana Good Time with Conner Gorry Santiago Feliú It’s heartening that this celebrated singer-songwriter is back on stage regularly with a weekly gig at the Café Cantante. While the format is different from his usual original songs featuring poignant lyrics and rocking guitar and piano arrangements (this peña is dedicated to hit songs in Spanish from the 60s and 70s), Santi always puts on a good show. This is especially recommended for folks who speak Spanish and Cuban Americans visiting the island who want to stroll down memory lane. Fridays,11pm. Go to church Old Havana has two majestic music venues which tend to slip under the radar. Luckily, February offers good opportunities to catch concerts at both the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis and the Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula. First, there’s the Camerata Romeu, conducted by the legendary Zenaida Romeu at the Basilica Menor, February 16th at 6pm, followed by the baroque ensemble Ars Longa at the San Franscisco de Paula on February 26th a 7pm. Either is guaranteed to inspire. Conner Gorry is author of the Havana Good Time app (for iPhone/Pads and Android) and Here is Havana blog. page 3 | Feb www.CubaAbsolutely.com .COM WH T A ’SON ART HAVAN A ! Sex in the City Galería La Acacia January 18 to February 28 Tuesday thru Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Havana’s most buzzed about art exhibition in years. A smorgasbord of homo-erotic art brought together under the guidance of curator Piter Ortega. The lineup features Roberto Fabelo, Rocío García, Duvier del Dago, Humberto Díaz, René Peña, Jorge López Pardo, and Adonis Flores, as well as younger artists whose work is emerging in art-world circuits: Lancelot Alonso, Stainless, Yenisley Yanes, Tai Ma Campos, Álvaro José Brunet, William Acosta, and Julio Ferrer, among others. Leave the kids at home. ESTERIO SEGURA: FROM ANGUISH TO PLEASURE by Ricardo Alberto Pérez. Esterio Segura (Santiago de Cuba, 1970-) is considered one of the most controversial artists of his generation. He was first known for Santo de paseo por el trópico), a sculpture of Saint Sebastian made of polychrome plaster which is part of the permanent collection of the Contemporary Cuban Art at the Fine Arts Museum in Havana The saint was placed in this setting as a symbol of the imprints of all kinds of journeys… Read full article Casa Throughout Sintonía de un patrimonio Casa del Throughout Edición Número Cero: La Carmen February by artist Maykel Herrera,by Benemérit February Habana I Montilla artist Maykel Herrera, o de las an exhibition of known as “the painter of Américas contemporary Brazilian art. children”, given the Benito countless and at times Juárez enigmatic presence of children in his paintings. page 4 | Feb www.CubaAbsolutely.com .COM WH T A ’SON ART HAVAN A ! Centro Throughout Tengo algo que decir, La Acacia Throughout Sex in the City, group Cultural February a tribute to the Cuban February exhibition of pieces by Cinematog school of landscape art renowned artists (Roberto ráfico from very different Fabelo, Rocío García, ICAIC manifestations, formats, Duvier del Dago, René Peña, techniques and trends by Jorge López Pardo, and artists Ever Fonseca, René others) and a younger de la Nuez, Javier Román, generation of artists who Renier Hernández are making a name for Balmaseda, Arley Perera, themselves in the world of Osmar Reyes, Juan Camilo visual arts (Lancelot Alonso, Cruz, Pedro Pérez Portales, Stainless, Tai Ma Campos, Williams Cruz, Carlos and others). The exhibit Llanes, Jorge Lucas Pereda, focuses on homoeroticism Darexis Valle, Efrén Acosta which is the main theme for and Carlos R. Coronado, some of them and an amont othetr, most of occasional topic for others. which live in Artemisa and This attempt to transgress Mayabeque provinces and the limits between therefore their presence is eroticism and pornography not a frequent one in has been described by quite Havana. a number of viewers as lewd. The gallery, however, Centro de Through 23 Wifredo Lam: entre la has registered unusual de Feb Arte pintura y el grabado, attendance rates. Contempo exhibition of 72 pieces (on ráneo the 110th anniversary of the Galería Throughout Umberto Peña: regreso a Wifredo birth of the Cuban painter. Latinoame February un pintor visceral, an Lam Along with the exhibit, ricana. exhibition of over 30 several documentaries on Casa de pieces, which include Lam will be shown: 1902- las paintings, drawings and 1946; 1946-1982; y , Américas engravings by artist produced by Seven Doc Umberto Peña who lives in from France, directed by the US. He is one of the Fabrice Maze and Barbro most important and Schultz Lundesta, along influential creators of with and , directed by Cuban graophic design. Humberto Solá and Jorge Aguirre, respectively. Museo Throughout Gritos en la pared. Hitos Nacional February del cartel cubano Centro Throughout Martha Le Parc: ¿Artista o de Bellas contemporáneo, is a Hispano February artesana? Homenaje al Artes collection of 200 posters Americano pueblo de Cuba, an (Edificio (1959-2012), most of which de Cultura exhibition of colorful de Arte are related to the cinema, tapestries filled with light Cubano) and the others fall within and movement, whose the category of economic, designs draw inspiration social and political from Paul Klee, Piet propaganda. Mondrian and Victor Vasarely, among other contemporary artists. Museo Throughout Made in Cuba, first solo Biblioteca February exhibition of sculptor Servando Alejandro Díaz Matos. Ten Pabellón Opens Feb Defensa Civil II, exhibition Cabrera, pieces, almost all of which Cuba 15 by young artist Ernesto are made of steel, explore Domecq.