This morning are walking, after breakfast to our various destinations . . . it is a quiet Sunday morning as many Cubans are at church. A perfect opportunity to photograph the incredible window displays and murals on the pedestrian street outside our Gran Hotel. I wonder whether it is because grocery and clothing stores and pharmacies do not have the quantity of goods to sell, but whatever the reason, the store owners create wonderful displays of products they offer.
Our first destination is Teatrino Temporada Teatral to visit with a local children's community dance project. Because there is government funding for the arts and artists, children who show promise take dance classes after school and all-day Saturdays and Sundays with the hope they will be selected for further dance education and ideally a place in a dance company and opportunities to travel throughout their country and abroad. It never ceases to amaze me how little most Cubans have seen of their own beautiful country.
The attention and discipline of these young people is truly impressive, and several already are developing dance and performance skills that are riveting!
The attention and discipline of these young people is truly impressive, and several already are developing dance and performance skills that are riveting!
The next stop along our walking tour is the Galeria Larios, which is actually a cultural center. We are met by painter Orestes Larios Zaak, who is also the head of this project. He is considered on the the most important champions of the plastic arts in Camagüey as well as protector of the the Cuban environment. The front of the building has three permanent gallery exhibition areas, and the back of the building serves as a workshop for glasses in the plastic arts (painting and sculpture). There are three artists on permanent view: Orestes Larios Zaak (painter), Rodrick Dixon Gently (painter), and Gregorio Pérez Escobar (sculptor).
Pérez and Larios share global sensibilities with a naturalist slant. Gregorio Pérez Escobar creates sensual wooden objets that tackle what he describes as universal paradoxes that thematically range from the environment to psychology. For example, a brain impaled on the shaft of a hand-crank motor or a denuded tree stuck in a pencil sharpener. Larios, on the other hand, uses oil on canvas and sometimes acrylics on cardboard to create paintings that are meditative. Trained in photography and influenced by European and US hyperrealisits, he creates images of plants and insects that are almost Buddhist in their elegant simplicity. He tells us, "We live in an aggressive world, where nature and human beings are constantly assaulted. When I sit down to paint, I feel a spiritual peace that isolates me from that violence." Rodrick Dixon is a Cuban-Jamaican artist and graduate of the School of Plastic Arts in Camagüey, whose paintings explore the intersection of his dream/fantasy world and daily reality living in a Cuban-Caribbean world.
Various state offices have been working with Larios on restoring the building, which is located two blocks from Plaza de Areas in the historic sector of the city that has been proposed for World Heritage status.
Pérez and Larios share global sensibilities with a naturalist slant. Gregorio Pérez Escobar creates sensual wooden objets that tackle what he describes as universal paradoxes that thematically range from the environment to psychology. For example, a brain impaled on the shaft of a hand-crank motor or a denuded tree stuck in a pencil sharpener. Larios, on the other hand, uses oil on canvas and sometimes acrylics on cardboard to create paintings that are meditative. Trained in photography and influenced by European and US hyperrealisits, he creates images of plants and insects that are almost Buddhist in their elegant simplicity. He tells us, "We live in an aggressive world, where nature and human beings are constantly assaulted. When I sit down to paint, I feel a spiritual peace that isolates me from that violence." Rodrick Dixon is a Cuban-Jamaican artist and graduate of the School of Plastic Arts in Camagüey, whose paintings explore the intersection of his dream/fantasy world and daily reality living in a Cuban-Caribbean world.
Various state offices have been working with Larios on restoring the building, which is located two blocks from Plaza de Areas in the historic sector of the city that has been proposed for World Heritage status.
Our next stop is the atelier-home of Joel Jover Llenderroso and Ileana Sanchez Hing, two of Cuba's most creative and prodigious contemporary painters, which is located on the Plaza Agramonte. They also have the Studio-Galería Jover in Plaza San Juan de Dios.
Ileana toured us around their home that functions also as a gallery and a piece of art in that every surface is covered with their work salon style! Married in 1971, there home is full of collected antiques that ranging from vintage toys to bits and pieces picket up here and there. Joel graduated from the Camagüey Professional School of Art (1970) and his work addresses aspects of religiosity and spirituality blending undertones of Catholic and Afro-Cuban cults and imagery in a palette predominantly of red, white and black. He has been awarded numerous national prizes, and is a member of the Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC — National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba). In contrast, Ileana's work is a celebration of color, glitter and mixed-media. She received her professional arts degree in 1983. I regret not having purchased one of Ileana's large collage works — The Bride — from a series of women's portraits that incorporated a vintage wedding dress.
Ileana toured us around their home that functions also as a gallery and a piece of art in that every surface is covered with their work salon style! Married in 1971, there home is full of collected antiques that ranging from vintage toys to bits and pieces picket up here and there. Joel graduated from the Camagüey Professional School of Art (1970) and his work addresses aspects of religiosity and spirituality blending undertones of Catholic and Afro-Cuban cults and imagery in a palette predominantly of red, white and black. He has been awarded numerous national prizes, and is a member of the Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC — National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba). In contrast, Ileana's work is a celebration of color, glitter and mixed-media. She received her professional arts degree in 1983. I regret not having purchased one of Ileana's large collage works — The Bride — from a series of women's portraits that incorporated a vintage wedding dress.
Our last atelier-home visit is to José Daniel (Pepe) Gutierrez Cabrera, who began carving leather in 1980. Although he received art training in design and art history, he is a self-taught artist and founder of the Cuban Association of Artisans and Artists (ACAA). His work has been characterized by a constant search in using leather in non-utilitarian ways. One familiar motif incorporated in his work is that of the tobacco leaf. Having never seen anything quite like Pepe's work, I purchased one of his mid-size sculptures — I offered to buy one of his full torso sculptures, but he wasn't ready to part with them in hopes of an upcoming major exhibition. His work has been included in numerous group shows and solo exhibitions both within Cuba and elsewhere.
My respect for Cuban artists keeps growing as does my appreciation for the support artists have from the Castro government. Most artists belong to UNEAC, which has headquarters in every region of the country and pays host to free arts events, talks and exhibitions, and often a bar that serves as a meeting place for the local arts community. Many of these artists have shown at galleries in England, Canada, China, South America, Europe and the US, as well as having had government-financed extended artists residencies in these countries. Hear that USA?
Famished, we head to Campana de Toledo on the Plaza San Juan de Dios for lunch. A state-owns restaurant in a beautiful former residence, the food was OK though the service was outstanding!
Famished, we head to Campana de Toledo on the Plaza San Juan de Dios for lunch. A state-owns restaurant in a beautiful former residence, the food was OK though the service was outstanding!
Satiated for now, as we make our way back to the Gran Hotel, we come upon a music and dance happening. It's Sunday afternoon, so what better time than to be outside listening and dancing to music that makes me wanna dance!
While getting up the nerve to hit the dance floor, I become entranced with Lola . . . at least that is the name I give her . . . who is carefree and sensuous in her zest for life. Yes, someday when I grow up I want to be like Lola!
While getting up the nerve to hit the dance floor, I become entranced with Lola . . . at least that is the name I give her . . . who is carefree and sensuous in her zest for life. Yes, someday when I grow up I want to be like Lola!
Back at the Gran Hotel de Camagüey, we learn there is a rooftop bar and pool, where in the evening there is a show of synchronized swimming featuring dancers from the local university. We also hear about and make reservations for a wonderful paladar _ Meson del Principe — not far from where we had lunch. How cool is that!
But for now ... up to the rooftop for a drink and views ... and watch dark clouds roll in ...
But for now ... up to the rooftop for a drink and views ... and watch dark clouds roll in ...
Having told several others in our group that we were going our own way for dinner tonight, we are now a party of six. What a find ... and delight ... the Meson del Principe serves really good food with huge portions so it is easy to share dishes amongst us. Lucky, too, that are party expanded as we are the only ones at the restaurant.
No sooner are we seated by the owner and drink orders given, than our host steps outside to yell out for a local musician to come and entertain us with traditional songs and a few Beatle songs — a very good guitarist and singer. As the evening wore on the sky turned very dark and rain fell by the bucketfuls. When the sky cleared, we were treated with a beautiful golden light that bathed the sky.
No sooner are we seated by the owner and drink orders given, than our host steps outside to yell out for a local musician to come and entertain us with traditional songs and a few Beatle songs — a very good guitarist and singer. As the evening wore on the sky turned very dark and rain fell by the bucketfuls. When the sky cleared, we were treated with a beautiful golden light that bathed the sky.
Once back at the Gran Hotel de Camagüey, we headed for the rooftop to see the synchronized swimming show. Regretably, I cannot find my photos taken, which probably wouldn't have been very good . . . so suffice it to say that the show was wonderful! There was a boy/girl storyline to the performance and the swimming, diving and dancing were all terrific. Great way to end a wonderful stay in Camagüey