CUBA SEGMENT 30 / HAVANA ART FESTIVAL THAT JUST HAPPENS

CUBA: THE UNENDING MELODY

Editor’s note: On a daily basis from June 1 thru June 30, 2015 Pillar to Post online magazine is featuring articles, photos and insights resulting from a recent group tour, an adventure we dubbed: the April 23 Brigade’s Tour of Cuba 2015. 

WELCOME TO THE 12^TH ANNUAL HAVANA BIENNIAL

NOW THRU JUNE 22.

This year, the 12^th annual Havana Biennial offers its usual world beat mix of activities including performances from the worlds of dance, theatre, music, film and literature. In the words of one of the organizers: “It won’t be a Biennial for collectors or gallerists, but rather to make a connection with the city”.

Like Cuba itself, the event just exists. There will be no official grand opening or will there be inaugural fireworks.  Instead all over the City art will spill out of the galleries, bursting into the streets which will be bubbling with ideas.

The 12th Biennial will be held in squares, parks and urban spaces, as well as in the usual venues for the event, including the Wifredo Lam Centre of Contemporary Art, the photo library Fototeca de Cuba, the Centre for the Development of Visual Arts and the Cuba Pavilion.

International flavor of attendees:

--Indian artist Nikhil Chopra,

--Héctor Zamora and Sandra Calvo of Mexico;

-- Austrians Axel Stockburger and Johann Lurf;

--Aruban Nelson González;

 --César Cornejo of Peru

 --and the Argentinean Dolores Cáceres.

All of the above have confirmed their participation, joining the list of more than 200 artists and collective projects from 44 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East. The list also includes Cuban artists, displaying their innovative and experimental work.

The 12^th Havana Biennial 2015 may not have an official opening ceremony but it does have an ending: June 22, 2015.  Who's ready to go back?