Rachel Weiss's 'To and from Utopia' Examines New Cuban Art from 1981-2000
In her 2011 publication, 'To and from Utopia in the New Cuban Art,' Rachel Weiss explores the New Cuban Art movement spanning from 1981 to 2000, beginning with the Volumen Uno exhibition in Havana that showcased artists such as Ana Mendieta and José Bedía. Weiss links this artistic surge to the Mariel emigration of April 1980, during which 125,000 Cubans left the country. Rather than being a unified school, this movement was characterized by its vibrancy. The 1990s Special Period, announced by Fidel Castro, prompted many artists to leave. Tania Bruguera became a prominent figure, founding the underground newspaper 'Memoria de la postguerra' in 1993. The book features 130 color and 30 black-and-white images, published by University of Minnesota Press, with prices of $34.95 and $105.00.
Key facts
- Rachel Weiss's book 'To and from Utopia in the New Cuban Art' was published in 2011 by University of Minnesota Press.
- The book covers the New Cuban Art movement from the 1981 Volumen Uno exhibition in Havana to around 2000.
- Volumen Uno featured artists José Bedía, Flavio Garciandía, Ana Mendieta, and Ricardo Brey.
- Weiss connects artistic events to their 'psycho-historical backdrop,' such as the April 1980 Mariel emigration of 125,000 Cubans.
- The Havana Biennial was inaugurated in 1984, peaked in 2000, and transformed from a Third World event to an international art fair.
- During the 1990s Special Period, many artists left Cuba, and Tania Bruguera emerged with her underground newspaper 'Memoria de la postguerra.'
- The TELARTE textile project printed 2 million meters of fabric with designs by 150 artists from 1983 to 1991.
- The book includes 130 color and 30 black-and-white photographs across 322 pages.
Entities
Artists
- Rachel Weiss
- José Bedía
- Flavio Garciandía
- Ana Mendieta
- Ricardo Brey
- Wifredo Lam
- Fernando Ortiz
- Pedro Álvarez
- Armando Mariño
- Tania Bruguera
- Manuel Mendive
- Thomas More
- José Martí
Institutions
- University of Minnesota Press
- Havana Biennial
- Arte Calle
- Grupo Provisional
- Grupo Art-De
- Los Carpinteros
- TELARTE
Locations
- Havana
- Cuba
- Plaza de la Revolución
- Old Havana
- Minneapolis
- United States
- USSR