Arguably, you could say that Cuba has always been a country of revolution. From fighting for independence against the Spanish to overthrowing Batista, Cuba has always been on a quest for freedom. Now there’s a new sort of revolution occurring in Cuba by way of art. In a country that has been under strict notions of communism, which locals prefer to refer to as socialism, there are restrictions for rebelling against the broken system- one cannot go too far with their message critiquing the state of things. For example, some youthful street artists have been painting radical art for years but have never been jailed; but when El Sexto painted the names of the Castros on pigs he was quickly incriminated for months (Bechard). Tania Bruguera seemed to consistently produce work that asked for change in Cuba, but it was when she crossed the somewhat blurred government-allowed lines by staging in the main Plaza that she came under real fire. There seems to be a delicate balance with how far people can go in their expression of art. As a place of revolution though, this rebellion cannot be stopped completely and is present through artists’ works no matter the possible consequence.
What I found especially interesting was the street art projects in Cuba and how street artists like Fabian and Yulier use the walls of Havana to tell their views of the present. In the article “The Radical Street Art of Havana’s Youth” artist Fabian defends his political street art against these difficult lines between what the government reacts and does not react to with punishment: "’Our commander-in-chief, Fidel Castro—now deceased—said that the greatest revolutionary is he who expresses the truth,’ Fabián explains. ‘That means I am a revolutionary. The counter-revolutionaries are the ones who want to stop me’(Bechard)”. I think Fabian has a point in that what he is doing is very revolutionary-like, and I believe that the reactions of the government prove that sentiment with Decree 349. Revolution is a call for change and when the government reacts negatively to these calls it may mean that they feel threatened.
On the other hand, there are other artists who seem to not mean to have their art be political. Yulier Perez says that he wants his art to spark discussion and interest, and yet he has been asked by the government to remove his art (“Cuban street artist told to remove his work from the walls of Havana”). He doesn’t seem to be asking for any sort of change, merely thought. Maybe those two are intertwined though.
Do you think that street art in Cuba is a call for a new sort of revolution? What do you think are the lines between getting in trouble for expressive art and essentially getting away with it? How far are Cubans able to go and will these limits change over time; especially with Decree 349?
Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI do believe that not only the street art in Cuba, but also that of other political artists like Bruguera and Los Carpinteros, is the start of a new revolution. Once a few people start to be willing to stand up for what they believe in, despite the consequences that they may face, it inspires others to do the same. After years and years of oppression, it seems as though people such as Yulier have gotten fed up with their mistreatment. In "The Radical Street Art of Havana's Youth", it states, "disturbed by Cuba's extreme poverty and the vast divide between the rich and poor, he (Yulier) resolved to use art to denounce those in power, from the government to the private sector". If this isn't the start of a revolution, then I don't know what is. I think after a point, the lines between getting in trouble and getting away with it stop being restrictive. Once artists like Bruguera get arrested for their cause, and don't stop fighting, I think they are showing the government that the lines between right and wrong don't matter when you're fighting for something you are passionate about. I'm not saying that doing something wrong is good, especially when it comes to resorting to things such as violence in order to have your voice heard, but when it is done artistically, it can truly create positive change.
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI definitely believe that street art in Cuba is a type of revolution, as the activity is to designed to effect fundamental changes in political situations. However, I wouldn't say that it is "new" as Cubans have been creating art, music, and dance to express themselves and the status of their society for a long time now. For example, in the video E&M Art "Fidelio Ponce de Leon", it talks about how Fidelio often used his paintings to reflect the countries issues of poverty, sickness, and alienation. Also, it seems that the "lines" for what is acceptable and unacceptable are completely arbitrary when it comes to art. As you were saying, there were some artists like Tania Bruguera, who had been producing art poking at the political situations in Cuba for years with no issues, until one day it suddenly became a problem without rhyme or reason. Lastly, to answer your final question, I think that Cubans will eventually erupt with less peaceful means of expression, seeing how vague and restrictive Decree 349 is. I don't think a law by the government is going to stop Cubans from expressing themselves, so if they can't do it in ways that have in the past, I believe they will just find new ways.