SUNDAY SESSION

Art of Cuba
9:30 AM–10:45 AM
Grand Ballroom
Presenter: Michelle Naimo Bird, Curatorial Assistant, Department of European Paintings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

This collection of Cuban art reflects the experience of two Americans who lived in Cuba from May 2004 through the fall of 2006. Despite the professional responsibility of providing humanitarian immigration protection to thousands of Cubans fleeing persecution, the diplomat and his wife found common ground with artists who included internationally recognized painters of contemporary art, formally untrained painters of naïve art, and artists who crafted their work for tourist consumption on Havana’s streets.  The collection is unique in that it reflects over two years of interaction between the artists and Americans living and working in Cuba, the final two years of Fidel Castro’s presence as leader of the Cuban revolution.

The title of the lecture refers to US regulations prohibiting the importation of all goods with the exception of art, music, and literature from Cuba.  The presentation explores issues of tension and conflict reflecting the political relationship between the Cuban government and the US community living in Cuba, while giving first hand accounts of Cuban artists and the issues they faced in the creation of their art.