Cuba at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

During our holidays Pierre and I went to the exhibition ¡Cuba! Art and History from 1868 to Today at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.   

A somewhat puzzling exhibition. 400 works, paintings, sculptures, photographies, posters and much of history.   

Puzzling because we do not really have any reference other than the colourful works that we see after someone returns from holidays, no reference either as for the names of artists, at least those that I can relate to, the Manet, Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec and others.   

However, artists who followed the art movements of the past just like the artists in Europe or in America. A very beautiful quality of painting. An overview of the work, experimentation and research made by visual arts artists over 140 years. How they appropriated their own culture and that of others.    

And my surprise, I believe, is inherent in this “typical Cuban art”. On the Museum Web site one indicates: “Intermingling a re-examination of its colonialist past and openness to the avant-garde, Cuban artists created a profoundly original art of synthesis (Baroque and academic legacies, Spanish and African roots, Catholic and traditional spirituality).” But I did not see a specific Cuban art, I saw works similar to those I recognize in “my” culture, same quality, same ambition, same desire of discovery, sae trends. Several artists went to Europe and elsewhere to seek the inspiration and I actually recognized the influence of Matisse, Dali, Picasso, Miro, to name only these.  

I found works of the Thirties superb. But the very best for me was the works of Wifredo Lam (Cuba, 1902 - Paris, 1982). I should acknowledge that many of his works were gathered in a room allowing us to see the evolution of his paintings. I liked his colours, his technique, his subjects which evolved with time as he joins the various movements (cubism, surrealism). This prolific artist was one of the “major” artists of Cuba but I didn’t know it.   

At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until June 8, 2008 this exhibition is the most important exhibition ever presented to showcase the art of this Caribbean island.

May 22, 2008