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The Art Of Normalization: Cuban And Cuban-American Artists Huddle In Miami

Pedro Portal
/
Miami Herald
Visiting Cuban artists take in mural art in Little Havana this week.

Since the U.S. and Cuba normalized relations, we’ve seen a lot of dialogue between government officials and business executives. But what about artists?

Fifteen artists from Cuba are in Miami this week as part of a new exchange project called Dialogues in Cuban Art.

It’s organized by the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and Miami art curator Elizabeth Cerejido - and it’s brought Cuban and Cuban-American artists together to share not just styles but also ideas about the role art can play in this new era of U.S.-Cuba relations.

“Cuban artists take advantage of this new relation," says Sandra Ramos, a Cuban artist from Havana who often engages social and political themes. "We communicate and art flows from one place to other. It’s a way to share this culture, and we can have a much more open society.”

Cuban-American artist Emilio Perez agrees. Some of his art was recently exhibited in Cuba.

“I don’t see myself as a Cuban-American artist," says Perez. "I’m just an American artist, I was born here. But, you know, I do see things through the Cuban lens because it’s a huge part of my identity. So as things change it’s really important for me to be involved. I never thought I would ever see a work of mine in Cuba.”

The weeklongDialogue - which included art tours of Miami neighborhoods like Little Havana and a symposium at the PAMM - ends Friday and is sponsored by the Knight Foundation and the Related Group.

Tim Padgett is the Americas Editor for WLRN, covering Latin America, the Caribbean and their key relationship with South Florida. Contact Tim at tpadgett@wlrnnews.org
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