Cuba abre primera gran Exhibición de Arte EE.UU. desde 1980s. Mar 28, 2009Por Rosa Tania Valdés LA HABANA, marzo 28 (Reuters) - Cuba abrió el sábado su primera gran exhibición de arte de América desde el decenio de 1980 en medio de la esperanza de que inspiren unas mejores relaciones entre los Estados Unidos y la isla comunista. La muestra "Chelsea visits La Habana" presenta obras de más de 30 artistas representantes de la ciudad de Nueva York y el distrito de Chelsea e incluye pinturas, fotografías, esculturas, instalaciones y vídeos. "Increíblemente, lo hicimos. Creo que es un increíble primer paso", dijo Alberto Magnan, el director curador y que es un cubano-americano dueño de la Galería de Arte "Chelsea". La administración de EE.UU. Barack Obama "no impidoó esta muestra y espero que cuando la vea le inspire a hacer algo" para mejorar las relaciones EE.UU.-Cuba, dice Magnan. Obama ha dicho que aligeraría el embargo comercial de 47 años contra Cuba y daría un paso hacia la normalización de las relaciones con la isla a sólo 90 millas (145 km) de la Florida. El embargo, que fue endurecido por el anterior presidente de EEUU George W. Bush, había impedido mayor intercambio entre los dos países. Sin embargo el vicepresidente Joe Biden dijo el sábado en una reunión en Chile que Washington no levantaría el embargo.
La última exposición grande de EE.UU. en Cuba se presentó en 1986. La muestra actual incluye una pieza llamada "Castrobama" por Padraig Tarrant que muestra los perfiles de Obama y el ex líder cubano Fidel Castro uno frente al otro. Otro, de Doug Young, es una escultura de un escritorio utilizado por oficiales militares de EE.UU. a cargo de los misiles nucleares Titan II durante la Guerra Fría. Los cubanos que asisten a la feria, que se encuentra en el Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana hasta el 17 de mayo, dijeron que estaban sorprendidos de que algunas de las obras se refirieran a íconos de Cuba como Castro y Ernesto "Che" Guevara, un argentino que luchó en la revolución de 1950 que Castro puso en el poder. Una de las piezas es un rompecabezas en blanco y negro de la cara de E.Guevara. "Es interesante porque no habían mostrado arte de América en Cuba desde 1986. En lo personal nunca he visto nada de artistas de EE.UU.", dijo el estudiante de Historia del Arte Liliana Artiles. Co-curador Abelardo Mena dice que el gobierno de los EE.UU. ha sido muy cooperativo para hacer llegar las obras de arte a Cuba, lo cual ha sido un gran cambio muy bienvenido. "Esperamos que continúen haciéndolo para que podamos tener nuevos contactos y nuevos intercambios", dijo. (Edición por Jeff Franks y Peter Cooney.
(Trad Google/Revised by Silvie C.)
English:
Cuba opens first big U.S. art exhibit since 1980sSat Mar 28, 2009 By Rosa Tania ValdesHAVANA, March 28 (Reuters) - Cuba on Saturday opened its first big group exhibit of American art since the 1980s amid hopes it would inspire better relations between the United States and the communist-run island.The show "Chelsea visits Havana" presents works from more than 30 artists representing New York City's Chelsea district and includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, installations and videos."Incredibly, we did it. I think it's an incredible first step," said Alberto Magnan, principal curator and a Cuban-American who owns a Chelsea art gallery.The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama "did not impede the show and I hope that when he sees this it will inspire him to do something" to improve U.S.-Cuba relations, Magnan said.Obama has said he would ease a 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba and take steps toward normalizing relations with the island just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida.The embargo, which was tightened under former U.S. President George W. Bush, has prevented much interchange between the countries. Vice President Joe Biden said at a meeting in Chile on Saturday that Washington would not lift the embargo. [nN28293524]The last large U.S. group exhibit in Cuba was presented in 1986.The current show includes a piece called "Castrobama" by Padraig Tarrant that shows cutout profiles of Obama and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro facing each other.Another, by Doug Young, is a sculpture of a desk used by U.S. military officers in charge of Titan II nuclear missiles during the Cold War.Cubans attending the show, which is at Havana's Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes through May 17, said they were surprised that some of the works alluded to Cuban icons such as Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara, an Argentine who fought in the 1950s revolution that put Castro in power.One of the pieces was a black-and-white jigsaw puzzle of Guevara's face."It's interesting because they haven't shown American art in Cuba since 1986. I've never seen in person anything by U.S. artists," said art history student Liliana Artiles.Co-curator Abelardo Mena said the U.S. government had been very cooperative in getting the artworks to Cuba, which was a welcome change from the past."We hope they will continue doing that so that we can have new contacts and new interchanges, " he said. (Editing by Jeff Franks and Peter Cooney)
La última exposición grande de EE.UU. en Cuba se presentó en 1986. La muestra actual incluye una pieza llamada "Castrobama" por Padraig Tarrant que muestra los perfiles de Obama y el ex líder cubano Fidel Castro uno frente al otro. Otro, de Doug Young, es una escultura de un escritorio utilizado por oficiales militares de EE.UU. a cargo de los misiles nucleares Titan II durante la Guerra Fría. Los cubanos que asisten a la feria, que se encuentra en el Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana hasta el 17 de mayo, dijeron que estaban sorprendidos de que algunas de las obras se refirieran a íconos de Cuba como Castro y Ernesto "Che" Guevara, un argentino que luchó en la revolución de 1950 que Castro puso en el poder. Una de las piezas es un rompecabezas en blanco y negro de la cara de E.Guevara. "Es interesante porque no habían mostrado arte de América en Cuba desde 1986. En lo personal nunca he visto nada de artistas de EE.UU.", dijo el estudiante de Historia del Arte Liliana Artiles. Co-curador Abelardo Mena dice que el gobierno de los EE.UU. ha sido muy cooperativo para hacer llegar las obras de arte a Cuba, lo cual ha sido un gran cambio muy bienvenido. "Esperamos que continúen haciéndolo para que podamos tener nuevos contactos y nuevos intercambios", dijo. (Edición por Jeff Franks y Peter Cooney.
(Trad Google/Revised by Silvie C.)
English:
Cuba opens first big U.S. art exhibit since 1980sSat Mar 28, 2009 By Rosa Tania ValdesHAVANA, March 28 (Reuters) - Cuba on Saturday opened its first big group exhibit of American art since the 1980s amid hopes it would inspire better relations between the United States and the communist-run island.The show "Chelsea visits Havana" presents works from more than 30 artists representing New York City's Chelsea district and includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, installations and videos."Incredibly, we did it. I think it's an incredible first step," said Alberto Magnan, principal curator and a Cuban-American who owns a Chelsea art gallery.The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama "did not impede the show and I hope that when he sees this it will inspire him to do something" to improve U.S.-Cuba relations, Magnan said.Obama has said he would ease a 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba and take steps toward normalizing relations with the island just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida.The embargo, which was tightened under former U.S. President George W. Bush, has prevented much interchange between the countries. Vice President Joe Biden said at a meeting in Chile on Saturday that Washington would not lift the embargo. [nN28293524]The last large U.S. group exhibit in Cuba was presented in 1986.The current show includes a piece called "Castrobama" by Padraig Tarrant that shows cutout profiles of Obama and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro facing each other.Another, by Doug Young, is a sculpture of a desk used by U.S. military officers in charge of Titan II nuclear missiles during the Cold War.Cubans attending the show, which is at Havana's Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes through May 17, said they were surprised that some of the works alluded to Cuban icons such as Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara, an Argentine who fought in the 1950s revolution that put Castro in power.One of the pieces was a black-and-white jigsaw puzzle of Guevara's face."It's interesting because they haven't shown American art in Cuba since 1986. I've never seen in person anything by U.S. artists," said art history student Liliana Artiles.Co-curator Abelardo Mena said the U.S. government had been very cooperative in getting the artworks to Cuba, which was a welcome change from the past."We hope they will continue doing that so that we can have new contacts and new interchanges, " he said. (Editing by Jeff Franks and Peter Cooney)
