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We Buy and Sell Cuban Art
We buy and sell Cuban art and other Caribbean Nation paintings. We will buy your entire collection or just one painting. We can also help you build your collection through our collection resources. Currently, we
have the largest collection of contemporary paintings from the Oriente region of Cuba! You
can call or come visit our studio and we ship worldwide.
Our Exhibitions are available through our curatorial department, from a small collection of fine
paintings for your office or building, to 60 paintings for your public institution. Go to our Exhibitions
page on the site for a list of some of our clients.
Decorators and gallery’s in the trade are always welcome to access our vast resource of original paintings and giclee’s.
We have been collectors of fine art for over 25 years.
Call 772-225-2520 (studio) or 305-509-0973 (cell)
Art And Music Join Together From Oriente, Cuba
In New Documentary, “Luminous Shadows”
Arte de Cuba Publishing has made an agreement with Discmedi of Barcelona, Spain for the music soundtrack created by La Familia Valera Miranda of Santiago de Cuba. Their award winning album, “SON ASI” compliments this cultural arts film which conveys a most insightful view of this talented group of artists from Eastern Cuba. The film “Luminous Shadows, The Artists of Eastern Cuba” now has this great sound track from the Oriente region of Cuba. La Familia Valera Miranda spans three generations of musicians who are originally from the region. They play to the heart and soul of the people of Oriente. The group has traveled world-wide to share their music with others. Winners of numerous awards, La Familia Valera Miranda carries on the great traditions of the musicians of Oriente, Cuba. Bringing music and art together to tell this story combines two mediums that harmonize very well in this film. The painters as well bring their story to you through the canvas and brush.
Visit www.cubanart.orgto find out more about the Artists of Oriente, Cuba.
Son así LA FAMILIA VALERA MIRANDA (6. February 2006)
When you listen carefully to this album I’m sure you’ll be able to do a valuation about what’s real traditional Cuban music and to appreciate the good taste of the musicians involved in the project. It’s not difficult for me to talk about them because in spite there’s a long history behind them they are extremely unaffected and hospitable people. When you have dealings with Félix Varela Miranda, a huge connoisseur of the secrets of life, a standing figure of a centennial family dedicated to cultivate genuine music tradition, you can see on his eyes the love and devotion he feels about his art, the deep respect to his work and his tenacity in front the facts of life. He’s been through the years a master for new generations that feel grateful for his perseverance in spite there’s no need of that because there’s nothing he enjoys more than to teach. Félix comes from a modest and profoundly patriotic family, and so he’s proud of telling his own story and says he’s from ‘a place in Oriente, in the Cauto river basin, near Tunas, Bayamo and Manzanillo’ and his lineage is a blend of races and families and a melting-pot where the Hispanic and African culture meet. From his grandmother Julia and great-uncles he learnt the syncretism chants, to sing the Son and how to play tres; he also was introduced to the art of the tumbadera and the secrets of music composition. His mother Emilia, or Milla as he call her with love, disclosed to him all the traditions of his legendary family bequeathed by the most aged member of the family like Cutiño, the mambí great-grandfather which was a talented singer and poet, and the great-grandmother Catalina Basulto who ‘sang like a mockingbird’. They, together with many others from both the Valera and the Miranda, are part of a cultural wealth which rests on solid conceptions and precepts that have made possible that nowadays his own children have inherited this popular wisdom and all the secrets of this particular way of singing and play.. Felix Varela Miranda officially founded La Familia Valera Miranda sextet in 1985 with his wife Carmen, his three sons (Enrique, Raúl and Ernesto) and Radamés, responsible of second voices, claves and occasionally the cuatro. Radamés was Felix’s schoolmate and he has always been very close to the family, its story and particular way of understanding music. With the course of years, logically enough, the ensemble has evolved and improved until they needed to include a new member, Wilfredo (tumbadoras), a former schoolmate of the two elder sons (Enrique and Raúl) that Felix still consider as a beloved pupil. Now ‘La Familia’ is a Typical Traditional Septet that, in spite of their virtuosity, its aim is to preserve and get as close as possible to the archetypical sound of the bands and ensembles that played on the decade of the twenties of the past century; this particularity has increased the interest for their music among a diverse audience and several institutions devoted to the study and understanding of traditional music.
As you can see with this album, they have selected an unusual repertoire including numbers by some of the most internationally acclaimed Cuban composers: Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, Eduardo Saborit, Simón Díaz, Mercedes Pedroso, among others, they perform on their very own way to pay homage to the music of such outstanding masters. The texts has been carefully choose for its suggestive meanings and lack of sophistication, in both cases two of the main characteristics of the way Cuban people talk, so you will be able to understand why some people say ‘Así Son’ (a language trick with ‘they sound like this’ and ‘they are like this’)
Luminous Shadows, The Artists of Eastern Cuba - an excerpt
Here is a great sequence from the original video of Luminous Shadows, The Artists of Eastern Cuba shot in Oriente, Cuba. It is about 3-1/2 minutes long showing a young lady of Manzanillo, Cuba that we filmed at around 8:00 o'clock one morning near the city center. She and her friends were engaged in this beautiful Catumba dance ritual.
Mr. Clyde W. Hensley
4041 N.E. Sugar Hill Avenue May 17, 2006
Jensen Beach, FL 34957
Dear Clyde:
I am writing to thank you for the ongoing loan of 60 artworks from your collection for the traveling exhibition, Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Paintings from Eastern Cuba. Since we first began working together in 2003, our partnership has resulted in a national tour that ultimately will reach 14 states and cities during a three-year period. As you are aware, each host institution has done something unique and meaningful with the show. Ancillary activities, including musical performances and culinary events, have enhanced the value of the project, and tens of thousands of people have seen the exhibit since it left Washington, DC in 2004.
All host venues have benefited from their experience with Cuba Oriente and it has served as a focal point for exciting community partnerships. These range from connections with local Latino populations to school tours and university lectures. Educational materials developed by Meridian in connection with the exhibition have helped host venues develop effective approaches to educational outreach. Two Latino museums have displayed the exhibit and we look forward to locating two more host institutions before the tour ends in 2007.
The artworks are superb, your documentary film has served as a valuable teaching tool, and many visitors have learned about a region rich in culture, yet little-known to most Americans. We continue to enjoy our partnership and have learned a great deal about Cuban art through this affiliation. Doubtless, there will be other ways in which Meridian International Center and the Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange Association can work together in the future. What began as a formal collaboration has emerged as a lasting friendship.
Best wishes and thank you.
Sincerely,
Curtis Sandberg, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President
for Exhibitions and Cultural Outreach
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The 20th Annual Latin American Film Festival
Luminous Shadows, The Artists of Eastern Cuba was screened on the campus in the wonderful theater Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History. Sharon Mujica and staff were on hand for the show.
Donation of a large oil on canvas by Alfredo Rodriquez. This wonderful Cuban Landscape ("Paisaje Cubano") was the gift of Clyde, Brigid and Marina Hensley. The landscape will hang in the new wing of The Institute of Latin American Studies at UNC Chapel Hill.
The longest running exhibition of Cuban art in the U.S. has been extended due to popular demand. Since it's opening, at Meridian International Center in Washington, DC in November 2003, "Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Painting from Eastern Cuba" has received such a tremendous response from the public that the show has been extended twice.
Meridian International Center of Washington, DC and www.cubanart.org have agreed that the extension of the touring exhibition of 60 paintings will continue through September 2007 and will include 5 additional locations. Visitor turnout and responsiveness has been remarkable in all locations, 18,000 to 20,000 visitors per venue. Availability still exists for one or more venues.
For information about hosting this traveling exhibition contact Meridian's Director of Exhibitions, Dr. Curtis Sandberg by phone at (202) 939-5569
or by e-mail at csandber@meridian.org
or contact Clyde Hensley at e-mail: cubanart@bellsouth.net (305)509-0973
NEW! SEVENTEEN PAGE DOCUMENT ON ART IN THE ORIENTE REGION OF CUBA
Authors: Professor Lidia Margarita Martínez Bofill, specialist in Cuban and
Caribbean art, head of the Art History Dept., University of Oriente; and Assistant Professor Martha Vieiro García, specialist in Cuban and general art, Art History Dept., University of Oriente.
Arte de Cuba is happy to release this 17 page art document. This insightful account of Eastern Cuba's art history was prepared by Professor Bofill
and Professor García. This work brings us a closer look at the art phenomena of the Oriente region of Cuba.
QUEENS CENTRAL LIBRARY OPENING NEW EXHIBIT
QUEENS CENTRAL LIBRARY OPENING NEW WINTER GALLERY EXHIBIT: CUBA ORIENTE, CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS FROM EASTERN CUBA
Jamaica, NY – January 25, 2006 – Queens Library’s Gallery is opening an important new art exhibit this winter, Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Paintings from Eastern Cuba. A collaboration of Meridian International Center and Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange, the exhibition will run during all library service hours from February 7 through March 19, 2006 at the Central Library Gallery, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica. Admission is free; group visits welcomed. Call the Gallery to arrange a guided tour.
The new winter exhibit features 40 rich and diverse paintings and prints by 14 artists ranging in age from their early 30s to mid-90s. Several artists are self-taught; others include a former museum director as well as professors and graduates of the province’s art academies, including: Reinaldo Pagán Ávila, Miguel Angel Botalín, Joherms Quiala Brooks, Antonio Ferrer Cabello, Alfredo Rodrígues Cedeño, Marcos Pavón Estrada, Ruben Manuel Beltrán Guerra, Eddy Ochoa Guzmán, Alfredo Elíias Sáanchez Iglesias, Roel Caboverde Llacer, Levis Galano Londres, Orlando Piedra, Jorge Luis Hernández Pouyú, and José Julián Aquilera Vicente.
The paintings on display in Cuba Oriente vary in subject and are just a sample of the stunning artistic production from this talent-rich area. From striking landscapes and urbanscapes to humorous abstracts to stylized social commentary, the art reflects the ethnic diversity of eastern Cuba, 650 miles from Havana, and often mirrors the complex relationship between Cuba and the United States.
Meridian International Center promotes international understanding through the exchange of people, ideas and the arts. Located in Washington, D.C., Meridian seeks to educate people of all ages about global issues, connect professionals from different countries, and enrich the cultural perspectives of audiences across the US and abroad.
Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange was created in 1995 to foster an environment of goodwill through the sharing of cultural ideas. The Exchange supports an ongoing collaboration between American artists and those of the Oriente region in Eastern Cuba through various artist exchange programs.
About Queens Library
The Queens Library serves a population of more than 2.2 million in the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. With 18.9 million items in circulation and in person attendance of 14.3 million people in Fiscal Year 2005, the Library has one of the highest circulations of any public library system in the country. For more information about library programs, services and locations, events and news, visit the Queens Library Web site at www.queenslibrary.org or
phone 718-990-0700. Queens Library Enrich Your Life.™
Poems of Contemporary Cuba
But
Everybody is Dreaming/Pero todos sueñan Poems of Contemporary Cuba,
Selected and Translated by Rosalind M. Gill
About the Poets - This is a unique
collection of translations of contemporary Cuban
poetry by poets
from both outside and inside the island. The poets, living in Pinar del Rio,
Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, the Dominican Republic, Miami and Mexico, all
speak of Cuba and of cubanidad with passion and elegance.
These are established Cuban poets, winners of prestigious awards such as the
Nicolas Guillén Prize and the UNEAC (Writers' Union of Cuba) Award,
who enjoy recognition not only in Cuba but also internationally through their own
collections or in Spanish-language anthologies and reviews.
About the Translator -
Rosalind M. Gill is Chair of the School of Translation and Professor of Translation
and Language at Glendon College, York University, Toronto, Canada. She has
traveled extensively in Cuba, where she has participated in
exchanges with language teachers. She has also worked closely with poets on
her translations of Cuban poetry. The poems selected for translation in this
book reflect her love of Cuban culture and her respect for the Cuban people.
Books are available from: Lugus Libros
48 Falcon Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4S 2P5
414-322-5113 gethin@la-rampa.com
Meridian
to Host Art from Eastern Cuba
In partnership with the Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange,
the Meridian International Center will present an
exhibition of work by artists from the Oriente region
of Cuba beginning on October 15. Entitled Cuba Oriente:
Contemporary Painting from Eastern Cuba, the exhibition
includes 63 exceptionally rich and vibrant works from
what is often described as the heartland of Cuban
culture.
At a distance of over 650 miles from Havana, the
area is not well known by Americans in general, due
to the complex relationship between Cuba and the United
States. Cuba Oriente brings to light the stunning
art of a colorful region.
Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange was founded by Clyde
Hensley, whose travels and experiences in many countries
and lifelong interest in art brought him to eastern
Cuba in 1995. There he met many artists, working under
difficult conditions with few materials, and became
passionate about helping them to come out of their
regional isolation.
He has since made numerous trips to the area, working
with artists, cultural centers, museums and art schools
in Santiago de Cuba and the surrounding provinces.
He has helped to acquire and bring supplies to them
through the Global Tapestry Foundation and has amassed
a large and unique collection of art from the region.
Artist exchanges have developed and are supported
by Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange, and he has brought
exhibitions to the United States, most recently to
the Oakland Museum of California and the Craft and
Cultural Gallery of that city. He is presently editing
a documentary on the artists.
The artists themselves span generations and include
a former museum director, professors and graduates
of the region’s art academies, as well as a
few artists who are self-taught. Paintings in the
exhibition vary in subject and style. Classical and
modern styles intertwine and rich hues abound. Included
are breathtaking landscapes, genre scenes, abstract
works, surrealistic themes and richly imagined commentaries
on life in Cuba. Oil, acrylic and woodcut are the
primary mediums. The artwork in this collection is
being presented in Washington for the first time.
In line with Meridian’s dedication to promoting
international understanding through the exchange of
people, ideas and the arts, the objective of Eastern
Cuba Cultural Exchange is to foster an environment
of goodwill through the sharing of art and culture.
In describing his continued passion for his Cuban
project, Mr. Hensley says, “Working through
the arts and cultural exchange offers us a unique
opportunity to establish non-judgmental communication
between the citizens of our long-divided societies…
and helps to bring about an atmosphere of mutual respect
which can only help to pave the road to understanding
and reconciliation.” He will be present at the
press preview on October 14.
Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Painting
from Eastern Cuba Press Preview: Tuesday, October 14,
9:30am – 12 noon
On view October 15, 2003 to January 15, 2004
at Meridian’s White-Meyer Galleries
1624 Crescent Place, NW, Washington, DC Gallery Hours: Wednesdays - Sundays,
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Closed National Holidays
For information or to schedule tours, please call
Meridian’s Arts Office, (202) 939-5568 or 939-5518.
Newly
Published Book of Cuban Poetry
These are the front and back covers for a book of
Cuban poetry newly published by San Diego State
University Press. The front cover (right) shows
the work of Marcos Pavon
Estrada and the back (left) features a painting
by Joherms Quiala Brooks.
Cubanart.org is working with San Diego
State University Press by supplying the artwork
for their upcoming publication of Cuban poetry in
Poetry International. Later on we will post information
on how to purchase a copy.
Fellowships
Awarded!
Quiala & Pagán
The Vermont Studio Center, in Johnson,
VT is a year-round artists' retreat serving 600
painters, sculptors and writers from across the
U.S. and around the world each year. This prestigious
facility has offered both Joherms
Quiala Brooks and Reinaldo
Pagán Ávila a four-week residency
beginning in July 2003 and covering 50% of the total
cost of the program which includes room, board,
and studio space, while the Eastern Cuba Cultural
Exchange will initiate a fundraiser to cover the
balance, including all travel expenses.
This is an incredible opportunity
for Quiala and Pagán to be able to share
the companionship of their professional peers and
the counsel of major contemporary artists and writers.
They will then bring these experiences home to share
with their fellow artists in Oriente. We hope that
this is merely the beginning of a close relationship
with the VSC and that other artists in Eastern Cuba
will be able to partake of this unique and exciting
opportunity as well.
We applaud the Vermont Studio Center
for their decision to co-sponsor these two talented
artists. Both Quiala and Pagán have much
to contribute to the artists' community there. Unfortunately,
this opportunity had to be postponed due to entrance
visa delays for both artists. The invitation, however,
remains open and will be rescheduled for a later
date.
We would like to thank Barbara Golden,
of Golden Paints for her generous and unsolicited
pledged donation of 1 pallet of paint, that is 1,000
lbs.!! After learning about the scarcity of materials
in Eastern Cuba through our web site, Ms. Golden
contacted us to offer these much needed supplies.
These high quality acrylic paints will be distributed
throughout the Oriente region to individual artists
who find it very difficult to locate materials there.
Introducing
Global Tapestry
Cubanart.org will be working in association
with the non-profit organization Global Tapestry,
enabling tax deductible contributions to be used
to facilitate the artist exchange program and to
finance exhibitions. Contact
us for further information.
Oakland
California -
Sister City
May 3, 2002: On the steps of city
hall at the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza this painting by
Miguel Botalín was given as a gift to the
people of Oakland, California, from the artists
of Santiago de Cuba to commemorate the 150th birthday
of the City of Oakland. The opening ceremony was
also attended by the commissioners and a gathering
of interested residents.
From left to right in photo (above): Donald Cooper
from the Oakland, California/Santiago de Cuba Sister
City Association; Philip Linhares, curator of the
Oakland Museum of California; Clyde Hensley of the
Eastern Cuba Cultural Exchange (cubanart.org); and
Jerry Brown, Mayor of Oakland.
"Artist
to Artist" Program
Our artist to artist program has
had a good start by sending Monika Teal to Santiago
de Cuba to work with several of the artists in their
studios. She also traveled to Baracoa to visit and
share art technique with several artists there.
NEW DVD RELEASE
Shot entirely in
Oriente, Cuba by :
Arte de Cuba.
This documentary is
for everyone who loves Art, Music and the
Culture of Cuba.
Aired on KTWU a PBS Affiliiate
Nominated for the
Angel Awards, Monaco Film Festival.
But
Everybody is Dreaming/Pero todos sueñan 
