“Raúl Martínez” XIX Provincial Salon

Date

October 15 – November 15, 2004

Artists

Arley Alonso, Bárbaro Toranzo, Gilbert Sotero, Jairo Gutiérrez, Jeosviel Abstengo, José Rolando Rivero, Liesther Amador, Liliam Cedeño, Maet González, Manuel Castro, Miguel Chamorro, Naivy Pérez, Nelson Gómez, Oercio Liza, Oliver Ortiz, Osmany Fonseca, Yosmel Gómez.

Curated by

“Raúl Martínez” Art Gallery

Gallery

“Raúl Martínez” Art Gallery

Location

Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

Remarks for the catalog

A sui generis position must, one day, place Ciego de Ávila within the historical framework of Cuban visual arts. Even today, the province remains burdened by the negative stigma of being considered one of the least significant in the national artistic landscape.

However, within the province, there are already those who have begun to recognize this challenge—a necessary starting point for what could eventually be called progress. While there is still no solid or unified artistic movement, conversations have started to emerge among certain artists and specialists about contemporary art. At the very least, the term “art” is now spoken of with some clarity, a notable shift considering that, until a few years ago, it was often conflated with crafts or jewelry—commercialized products typically sold in the “galleries” or tourist shops on the cays, which contributed to the deterioration of the province’s cultural prestige.

The XIX edition of the Provincial Salon “Raúl Martínez” presents an exhibition proposal that reflects the influence of new artistic conceptions. Although this development may seem overdue, it suggests that the artistic endeavors in Ciego de Ávila are increasingly aligning with national trends. This marks a step forward, demonstrating a collective effort to integrate the province into the broader Cuban art scene.

Performance-based actions, public interventions, procedural works, and the use of unconventional mediums in Ciego de Ávila represent a true revolution. The province is beginning to awaken artistically—a credit to the intense work of a group of artists and specialists from the CPAP (Provincial Center for Art and Promotion) and the “Raúl Martínez” Art Gallery. This shift deserves recognition, even if it still lacks the full support and visibility it needs.