Cuba Avant-Garde: Contemporary Cuban Art from the Farber Collection
Organized by the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, curated by Kerry Oliver-Smith
In the Beitzel and Righter Galleries
June 27–September 19, 2010
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Cuba Avant-Garde examines a rich and varied history that few outside Cuba have had the opportunity to explore. Selected from one of the premiere private collections in this field, the exhibition features paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media work by 42 Cuban-born artists. It illustrates how contemporary Cuban art, while firmly rooted in the specific historical and cultural context of Cuba, manages to transcend the limits of geography and nationality to engage with and enrich a much larger global artistic discourse. Major themes addressed by the artists include the history of colonialism, emigration and exile, political and economic crisis, and social issues concerning religion, gender, and race.
Image Credit
Armando Mariño
The Raft, 2000
Watercolor on paper, 60 x 81 inches
The Farber Collection, Miami
Courtesy of Cuba Avant-Garde Inc. © Armando Mariño
Charles Johnstone: Havana
In the Project Gallery
June 27–September 19, 2010
Charles Johnstone’s photographs of Havana, Cuba, capture moments of stillness and unassuming beauty that belie their bustling urban setting, revealing instead deserted streets, empty playgrounds, vacant gas stations, and drained swimming pools. The absence of people lends gravity to the scenes he portrays; Johnstone’s photographs are formal explorations of shape, pattern, color, and geometry. He carefully constructs his pictures using the Caribbean’s intense light and distinct architecture as his building blocks.
Edel RodriguezIn the Learning Center
June 27–September 19, 2010
Edel Rodriguez’s brightly colored illustrations for Mama does the Mambo, Oye, Celia: A Song for Celia Cruz, and Sergio Saves the Day celebrate the energy, movement, and music of Cuba.
Meet the artist on August 8 for an afternoon of Cuban family fun and dancing.
Image Credit
Edel Rodriguez, from the book Mama Does the Mambo by Katherine Leiner, Hyperion Books for Children, 2001
Steve Tobin: Katonah Steelroots
On the South Lawn
October 18, 2009 – September 19, 2010
A new monumental sculpture welcomes visitors to the KMA. Steve Tobin's rolled and bent steel "roots" soar 22 feet above the ground. Fabricated for the site, the sculpture's twisting forms and rust-colored patina complement the surrounding landscape.
Photo by M. Fox
Matthew Geller: Woozy Blossom (Platanus nebulosus)In the Sculpture Garden
June 1 – October 31, 2010
Matthew Geller’s sixteen-foot-high perforated steel tree produces a continuous fog, inviting visitors to be engulfed in its mist and revel in its cool, moist air. The fog is in a constant state of flux, sensitive to the slightest changes in wind, temperature, and humidity. Woozy Blossom is simultaneously eerie, unexpected, and playful, transforming the Sculpture Garden into an ever-changing, other-worldly environment.
Woozy Blossom is a project of Creative Capital.
Image Credit
Woozy Blossom (Platanus nebulosus), 2010
Steel, fog (water + air + high pressure),
copper, brass, pump
Photo by M. Fox
