Soltura Cuba Travel Blog

Written by Sophia Bass, translated below by Izzy Valdés The first time I traveled to Havana, I immediately noticed a variety of artistic expression throughout the city. From local art markets and galleries to murals, I wanted to learn the story behind Cuba's innovative art scene. I quickly learned of the Muraleando Art Project founded by Manuel Diaz Baldrich and Ernesto Quirch Paz in 2003. Founder of Soltura Cuba Travel, Ian Sergeant, assisted in funding the creation of the project through the not-for-profit organization, Cuba AyUUda.  Situated on the outskirts of Havana, the project has transformed an area of rubble and destruction into a thriving art collective. The goal of Muraleando is to bring children off the streets of Havana and inspire them to contribute to a community project. In a country where nothing is disposable and everything is useful from telephone wires, iron, to old typewriters, artists in Cuba sought an opportunity to utilize these materials and create s...

Written by Sophia Bass, translated below by Izzy Valdés. Cuba's culture has historically been known for its contemporary art that emerged out of the 1980's. Today, many contemporary Cuban artists are traveling to international museums and art galleries receiving praise for their work. With new relations in the United States many believe that Cuban art will become widespread. For decades, Cuban art has been marginalized due to political and societal reasons. Article, 10 Contemporary Cuban Artists You Should Know , presents 10 contemporary Cuban artists that play a critical role in portraying Cuba's history and national identity. Sculpting and installation artist, Armando Marino, is one of the most popular Cuban contemporary artists. He is known for portraying issues of gender, race, sex, human trafficking, and freedom in contemporary society. Marino has been exhibiting across the world in Europe, the USA, and Africa since 1990. Cuban painter, Alicia Leal, is a h...