Coco Fusco Critiques Third Havana Biennial's Flawed Curatorial Vision

In a 1990 essay republished by Afterall, Coco Fusco analyzes the third Havana Biennial of Third World art, held in 1989. She argues that the main exhibition's theme, 'Tradition and Contemporaneity,' was hackneyed and poorly executed, lacking powerful works like those in previous editions. Notable omissions included performance art and black artists from the US and France, while British black artists were included. Fusco praises standout pieces such as Eugenio Dittborn's 'Story of the Human Face' and Gerardo Suter's large-format photos. Peripheral shows, including José Bedia's solo exhibition and Graciela Iturbide's images of Juchitán, were more successful. The essay also discusses Cuba's repressive cultural climate, citing the closure of an exhibition with ironic images of Fidel Castro and the dismissal of Vice-Minister of Culture Marcia Leiseca. Art critic Gerardo Mosquera describes the atmosphere as open conflict, while censored artists express skepticism.