Cuba is a country that takes pride in its diverse culture and political history. This diversity has seeped its way into the artistic style of the culture. Cuban art has evolved and changed over the course of its history and incorporated various types of styles and art movements into its body of work. The art has reflected the citizens as well as the political leanings of the country and been appreciated by the world for its unique style and perspective. With every change that happens to the country, the art has changed with it and been representative of the Cuban psyche and culture of the moment.
Much of the style used for Cuban art borrows from European and North American art styles as well as Native American and African art styles. This is due to the melting pot of cultures in Cuba as well as the long period of Spanish colonial rule and United States involvement. This includes realism, classicism, neoclassicism, and romanticism. A lot of this was present during the Spanish Colonial period. After their rule ended, the art style of the country quickly shifted to incorporate styles like cubism and surrealism. This is almost like a response to the more rigid styles of their colonial oppressors. Next came the Cuban Revolution which brought another shift in art styles. Under the new regime, this came a government-imposed censorship of art restricting any form of art that didn’t showcase the revolution and the revolutionary spirit. This caused many artists to leave the country to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
Eventually, the government restrictions began to loosen up allowing artists to explore more subjects as well as opening up the possibility of making a profit off of these works. This allows artists to have the opportunity to pursue their own individualistic artistic style and have this be their source of income rather than just as an expression of their nationalistic pride. Though this does come with the downside, since this is now a form of profit there is now more involvement from a larger institution to turn this into a form of profit. This may impose a level of stress and rigidness to the art and create an almost factory like approach to the artistic process.
I personally found this whole topic very interesting as I never knew that there was a period of censorship with Cuban art. I also didn’t know that there were so many artistic styles present in their culture and several different shifts in the styles. This seemed very interesting to me as sometimes art changes are gradual, and others happen as a form of rebellion against what came before. For the Cuban people, it seems to be a response to the world around them and the various changes that happen.
Do think that we will continue to see shifts and changes in art from Cuba?
How do you feel about the period of censorship in Cuban art? Was it right to use art to further Castro’s socialist regime?
Works Cited
Remba, N. (n.d.). Art in a Changing Cuba.
Schneider, M. (n.d.). Cuban Art History.
This post details the twists and turns of Cuban art and the culture surrounding it during and since the revolution. Cuba has seen so many changes involving art over the past fifty years, and is most definitely subject to more change as sanctions come and go, power shifts hands, and Cubans become more expressive under communist rule.
ReplyDeleteI think artists will continue to attempt to branch out into the international market. There are opportunities to gain ten times as much selling to the United States versus selling inside of Cuba.
ReplyDeleteHello! I think the period of the censorship in Cuba is still happening. If an artist makes something that the government does not like then the artist can get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting piece Tristin, I agree when you said "there is now more involvement from a larger institution to turn this into a form of profit." There is this danger that quantity is the goal rather than quantity and that my friend is capitalism. Do you think that if the government continues to regulate art they are stopping capitalistic views to change the quality of their art? I think that if you as an artist if you want to publish some type of explicit or political paint or portrait on Instagram someone will report you. You have less consequences here than in Cuba. However, I do think that we will see more changes in Cuban art and the internet will give them some sort of freedom unless Facebook creates more censorship restrictions.
ReplyDeleteHi Tristin,
ReplyDeleteI think that we will see a lot of changes and shifts in Cuban art. Based on the already ongoing civil unrest, the Cubans are determined enough to continue fighting for free expression. I find it incredibly ironic that in the name of respecting the Revolution, another type of Revolution has come to be.