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Cuba Visit

21 January 2015

I was lucky enough to visit Cuba for a few days, it was so much fun.

Cuba Visit
As soon as we arrived we met up with my lil sis Yana Peel
Cuba Visit
and took off in a wonderful bubble gum pink convertible.
Cuba Visit
All the wonderful old cars were queuing up to be hired by the visitors.
Cuba Visit
Headed to ceramicist José Rodríguez Fuster. There were ceramics everywhere, he had covered the whole neighbourhood in ceramics - including his amazing home.
Cuba Visit
Architecturally Havana is a feast for the eyes, building after building...
Cuba Visit
after building. The people in the streets all smiles.
Cuba Visit
Everything was worn down, all but rack and ruin. No money to build and refurbish. No Capitalism.
Cuba Visit
The old architecture was stunning with so many palatial and modernist styles.Public sculptures all over the place. All sorts.
Cuba Visit
Political Sculptures.Modernist Sculptures.Outdoor Wall sculptures.
Cuba Visit
The evenings were fun - partying with Marco and Dagoberto from Los Carpinteros.
Cuba Visit
One of Cuba's most popular artists, Roberto Diago.
Cuba Visit
Or checking out the beautiful Cuban Homes: Ella Cisneros opened up her doors for us and showed us her amazing modernist paintings and the studio of artist René Francisco.
Cuba Visit
Then it was back into the throes of New York City and all the shows were starting to open. At Clifton Benevento Zak Kitnick had organized a wonderful show. A question of art or not art arose with this box of realistic looking bottles.
Cuba Visit
I loved the work of Charles Harlan.
Cuba Visit
The work of Roelof Louw was interesting having been shown alongside Joseph Beuys, Barry Flanagan and Richard Tuttle in 1969. He has recently entered the Tate collection.
Cuba Visit
Marlborough Contemporary's show 'Space Jam' was also interesting. A new artist, Devin Troy Strother had created an Instagram splash.
Cuba Visit
They were also showing this amazing Tony Matelli work, ‘Sleepwalker.’ The work was so real - very unsettling.
Cuba Visit
At Pace, David Hockney was showing some very colourful and naïve paintings of dancers and sitters.
Cuba Visit
Managed to check out Greer Patterson's work. Was all about his childhood. I remember these painting by numbers, maybe this was the spark to my intense love of art.
Cuba Visit
My highlight was at James Fuentes to see the Amalia Ulman show ‘stock images of war’. It was very full on, there was a huge intensity, amazingly loud music playing in the background and very unusual sculptures of wheelchairs and tricycles made of flimsy wire material. Amalia again dealing with her accident. After this it was time for me to leave and get back to an even busier London.