Havana Biennial Postponed to 2019, Alternative 00Bienal Launches in May

The Havana Biennial, which was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019 because of Hurricane Irma, has motivated Cuban artists and curators, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Yanelys Nuñez Leyva, to establish an alternative event called "In Every Studio a Biennial" (00Bienal). This initiative will take place in Havana from May 5 to 15 and is supported by a crowdfunding effort that raised $20,000. It will showcase exhibitions and discussions in private homes and studios. Otero Alcántara, who was arrested in fall 2017 and later released on bail after a hunger strike, emphasizes that the 00Bienal seeks to rejuvenate Cuban society without confronting official institutions. Notable artists like Lázaro Saavedra will participate, while the names of international contributors will remain confidential to prevent entry complications.