Adios Utopia: Dreams and Deceptions in Cuban Art Since 1950

FAIN: GI-254038-17

Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN 55403-1139)
Olga Viso (Project Director: August 2016 to March 2018)
Siri J. Engberg (Project Director: March 2018 to June 2019)

Organized by the Walker Art Center and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in partnership with the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (CIFO), Adiós Utopia: Dreams and Deceptions in Cuban Art Since 1950 will be the most comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Cuban art presented in the U.S. Bringing together more than 100 works, the exhibition and its companion publication focus on artists who were born and trained in Cuba and who remained in Cuba after the 1959 Revolution, tracing the development of artistic production through key moments of Cuban history over the past 65 years. Rather than provide an exhaustive survey or totalizing account of Cuban art, the aim of Adiós Utopia is to reveal the dialogue and frictions among constellations of works that embody Cuba’s utopian spirit. With the current shifts in U.S.-Cuba relations, it is the ideal time for U.S. audiences to gain a greater understanding of the history of Cuba, its art, its people, and its history of relations with the U.S.

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Various Web Links (Article)
Title: Various Web Links
Author: Various Authors
Abstract: Both the MFAH and the Walker promoted Adiós Utopia on their respective websites: https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/adios-utopia-dreams-deceptions-cuban-art-since-1950 and https://walkerart.org/calendar/2017/adios-utopia. The Walker’s webpage included links to a number of related scholarly articles illuminating the exhibitions content, including the following examples: https://walkerart.org/magazine/adios-utopia-cuba-olga-viso-essay; https://walkerart.org/magazine/excerpt-rachel-weiss-to-from-utopia-new-cuban-art; and https://walkerart.org/magazine/olga-viso-rachel-weiss-post-revolutionary-cuban-art. The Walker also made available online its opening day talks, in both English and Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B-j_dEwyhA; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWJOpvo48W4; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64oEXAqhlg; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDDQTfAwQSs; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pNjv9QFIbE; and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fmHkDeeqw4. Additionally, outside of the grant funded activities, CIFO-USA published a scholarly catalogue to accompany Adiós Utopia: Dreams and Deceptions in Cuban Art Since 1950. Available in English and Spanish editions, the book was designed to provide critical context for understanding the culture, history, and politics of Cuba. The 404-page hardcover book features 150 images of artworks produced in Cuba during this time, and more than 100 images from archival documents spanning over 60 years. The publication includes essays by historians, art critics, curators, artists and other academics, along with a comprehensive chronology. Copies of this catalogue were sent to NEH Program Officers in April 2017.
Year: 2017
Format: Other

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