Looking at a region’s more recent history, the mixture of different cultures becomes more noticeable. Cuba, as a country, is much smaller than many other Latin American regions, leading it to often being overlooked in its historical relevance.
Much of the world’s art comes from a rebellion against oppressive forces. Cuba follows this pattern as well; its land was taken over by the Spanish in the 1500s, a British invasion in 1762, and many other attacks.
In the 1960s, two buildings were constructed that heavily symbolized Cuba’s revolution. These buildings are the Escuelas Nacionales de Arte (The National School of Art) and the Ciudad Universitaria Jose Antonio Echeverria (Technological University of Havana José Antonio Echeverría).
Havana, Cuba’s capital, is known by many academics as the “Pompeii of the Americas” due to its stagnance in architectural history. Since 1959, when former president of Cuba Fidel Castro took power, the city has implemented very little of modernist styles. This allows for those who study art and architecture to see the city as a time capsule, a place of the past.
Much of Cuban art transformed in 1959 due to the Cuban Revolution. This event created a turning point for art and paintings and often led them to become far more political than they once were.
One of the most famous political paintings in Cuba is a mural of Che Guevara located on the wall of the Ministry of the Interior building in Havana. The mural was based off of a photograph taken by Alberto de Gutiérrez.
Many painters would focus on the political state of Cuba during the 1900’s. Wifredo Lam and Amelia Peláez were two of the most influential painters of the 20th century.
Lam’s work was heavily influenced by Afro-Cuban culture, and his artwork became known for pioneering a form of modernist art that rejects European colonization. Peláez was known for creating colorful paintings depicting everyday life in Cuba.
Modern painter Roberto Fabelo is held in a similar standing to his famed predecessors for his surrealistic paintings that he uses to combine both fantasy and social commentary.
Cuban artwork can vary in style a large amount; however, much of it features bright, lively colors, and uses a combination of cubism and realism.
In the Colonial period (around the 1500s), European traditions had a heavy influence throughout Central America due to European colonialism. Poetry and writing were some of the most common forms of expression during times of revolution and aggression.
Many poems were based on the Gereco-Persian Wars, one of these pieces was “Le preguntron por los persas”, (They asked him about the Persians) written by Roberto Fernandez Retamar in 1964. This poem discusses the ideological state in Cuba during the 1960s and ‘70s.
José Felix Leon and Leonardo Sarria wrote their own pieces around 30 years later. The impact of Cuba’s Revolution has lasted much longer than the five years of the battle.
Along with poetry, where people have expressed themselves through writing, music and dance was commonly used to draw attention to the sociopolitical state of the country
Music is a worldwide artistic marvel, and Cuba is no exception. The country is well known for its lively dance music.
Much of Cuba, as well as most of the Caribbean, is heavily influenced by African American culture. Their music is one of the more notable components of their art. Latin Jazz or Afro-Cuban Jazz, came to be because of Cuban and New York artists connecting and creating a new genre all their own.
Music in all cultures is tied with another form of cultural artwork: dance.
In Cuba, and much of Latin America, dance has had influence all around the world. Dances such as the salsa, mambo, and cha-cha-cha began in Cuba but quickly spread. In the 19th century, Cuba’s music and dance fused African, Spanish, and Caribbean styles.
Combined, they are referred to as Danzón. Danzón is thought of as a metaphor for romance by ballroom dancers. This dance became the national dance of Cuba. Danzón is made up of fluid sensuous motions between a couple who twirl, spin, and dip until the music goes down.
Miguel Faílde premiered a Danzón piece titled “Las alturas de Simpson,” (“The Heights of Simpson”) in the Matanzas in 1879.
While Cuba’s artistic history is not as ancient as other countries’, it is full of rich cultures that help to connect many different lifestyles and people.
