Havana, epicenter of contemporary art

One of the fundamental aspirations of the 15th Havana Biennial, an event that for 40 years has been essential for the development of the visual arts in Cuba and for the international revaluation of the creation of the peoples of the South in this field, is to create joint projects between artists and the inhabitants of the communities that promote the integration of art with daily life.
Organized by the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center (CAC), the Biennial will take place from tomorrow until Feb. 28, 2025, and summons around 170 Cuban artists -the largest number in its history- and 230 foreigners, under the slogan Shared Horizons it plans to build networks of connection and feedback between the creators, the place where their work is located, and the public, who will also be part of the artistic event.
As explained at a press conference by Nelson Ramírez de Arellano, director of the CAC, this year's edition will feature commemorative exhibitions, research and artistic exploration projects and actions, and special projects. Among the latter, the popular Detrás del Muro (Behind the Wall), on Havana's Malecon, under the title Acera Sur (South Sidewalk), will bring together 40 creators from Cuba and abroad.
The retrospective look at the presence of Cuban art in the Havana Biennials, at the Cultural Station Linea and 18 -says the event's press release-, "will bring together some of the most representative names of the contemporary Cuban art scene, with works ranging from the re-edition of projects shown at the event to new proposals that go through their trajectory in recent years.
Other highlights include a show that reflects the relationship between this event and Casa de las Americas, Casa-Bienal; and the proposals that will be developed in collaboration with socio-cultural projects like Quisicuaba in Los Sitios, Akokan in Los Pocitos, and communities like Regla and Casablanca.
Outside the capital, the program includes projects in three other provinces: Matanzas ("Integrated Bodies"), Pinar del Río ("Pharmacy") and Holguín ("The Office").
A square of decolonizing and anti-hegemonic will, defender of that art that is not controlled by the powers of international capital, the Biennial includes a theoretical event, lectures, workshops and concerts... and aims to both beautify the city and contribute to its economy, in the midst of the recovery process that the city is undergoing.