Sculptural Movement in Matanzas and its Reflection in the Provincial Exhibition .
Diversity in terms of aesthetics, materials, dimensions and themes characterizes the Provincial Sculpture Exhibition currently on display at the Pedro Esquerré Gallery in the city of Matanzas.
Diversity in terms of aesthetics, materials, dimensions, and themes characterizes the Provincial Sculpture Exhibition currently on display at the Pedro Esquerré Gallery in the city of Matanzas.
More than twenty pieces are brought together in the exhibition dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Advisory Council for the Development of Monumental and Environmental Sculpture (CODEMA), explains Patricia Muñoz Ramos, a graduate in Art History and a specialist at the gallery.
“The main idea is to demonstrate the diversity that exists within sculptural art in the province of Matanzas. That is why we see sculptures with a diversity in terms of materials, techniques, dimensions, and, of course, the same theme addressed through different approaches.”
“The exhibition design was handled by the gallery team, the Provincial Council of Visual Arts, and some of the artists whose work is on display collaborated on it.”
“Our objective, based on the particularities of each of the works, was to achieve a balance, a harmony, and that no sculpture would overshadow the other, despite its dimensions; to bring them all together within the traditional gallery space for the enjoyment and delight of the viewer.”
Among the featured artists are emerging talents like Amel Santana, Rael Rodríguez, Vanesa Vega, and Félix Isasi, as well as established figures in this form of visual expression in the region, such as Osmany Betancourt (Lolo), Manuel Hernández Valdés, and Noly Díaz.
“I am very grateful to have been invited to this exhibition dedicated to CODEMA’s 40th anniversary. I worked on the piece for almost a year, making changes because I wasn’t happy with it. We all know the problems we have with energy.
“The piece isn’t solely mine. I invited a group of colleagues to collaborate with me, and thanks to them, I was able to finish it on time. It’s a fresh, contemporary work. With ‘Memories of a Future,’ I’m aiming for popular appeal, not so much to delve into the artistic realm, but rather for viewers to connect with the concept and find it accessible.”
“This work belongs to the Power Lines series. It’s titled The Genius I Have and stems from my interest in and concern about blackouts, a very controversial and current issue in Cuba.
“From there, I explored, researched, and experimented with different materials and techniques, and this piece emerged, an assemblage of tall metal objects.
“I try to express people’s frustrations and concerns about the electrical power situation, and it creates a metaphor, an analogy between Aladdin’s magic lamp and the lamps of the power lines,” explains Lorenzo Prieto.
“The piece Alien World belongs to the Parallel Universes series, which was part of the exhibition held at Espacio 34 Gallery for my 15th anniversary as an artist.
“It connects the imagery of bullfighting, my explorations of the animal, to a polychrome ceramic piece, and it received support from Amed, Waldo and Julito, and the Mano a Mano workshop.” “We made quite a large series with these pieces,” shares Adrián Gómez Sancho.
“I’ve been working on social issues for some time now,” Ictiandro Rodríguez points out. “This is the sketch for the piece on Narváez Street, with which I continue the crutches series. I’m interested in continuing to explore that motif in my work.”
“I have an exhibition in January that includes several pieces, and the main element is the crutch—that is, through different figurations and themes, but the crutch will always be present.”
“Several artists and I collaborated on a large-scale woman’s shoe, inspired by the sculpture of the two heels on the Viaduct.”
“It follows the same line, playing with balance, design, and the ideas developed at Estudio La Ribera, slightly defying the laws of physics,” says Ale de las Traviesas.
The exhibition also features works by Pedro Luis Cuéllar, Osmany Betancourt Castellanos, and Julio Díaz. A special highlight is the work *La maquinaria* (The Machinery) by Agustín Drake, from the collection of the Lorenzo Padilla Museum of Art in Matanzas.
Among the titles of the sculptures on display are «Homage to My Father,» an assemblage of ceramic and wood, by Edel Arencibia Rodríguez; «The Bottle Carrier,» by Manuel Hernández Valdés; «Faces of My City,» by Osmany Betancourt Falcón; and «Shipwrecked,» by Yasmany García Medina.
Many of the pieces in the exhibition are sketches of the sculptures that adorn various locations in the city’s urban landscape, such as the Narváez Cultural Promenade and the Viaduct area where the «On the Road» project was installed for the Havana Biennial in Matanzas.
Present at the opening were Osbel Marrero Acosta, Provincial Director of Culture, the creators of the sculpture garden, and visual arts students from the Matanzas Professional School of Art.
The Provincial Sculpture Exhibition for the 40th anniversary of the founding of CODEMA will remain in the Pedro Esquerré Gallery until the beginning of December, announced Marisley Martínez Junco, president of the Provincial Council of Visual Arts.
Written by Jessica Mesa.
