EVENT LANGUAGE: ENGLISH.

Cuban Art Resistance is an exhibition series spotlighting the Cuban government’s violent repression following the July 11, 2021 protests (11J), events that have become benchmarks in the fight for human rights in that country. Curated by ENTRE and FORMA FOCO—a collective of Cuban cultural producers exiled in Spain, it features two exhibitions: Alibi as part of Belvedere 21’s Über das neue, and How long have you been blind as part of VIENNA ART WEEK at ENTRE.

How long have you been blind (opening 14 November, 17-21h) brings together works by Cuban artists using immersive technologies to raise awareness about Cuban realities silenced by political power. As such, the exhibition features three interpretations of 11J: a musical score algorithmically composed with data entries of Cuban political prisoners (Kiko Faxas), a VR experience transporting the public to a post-apocalyptic Havana (Yimit Ramírez), and archive of text-to-image outputs generated from firsthand experiences of Cubans (Hassan-Quintela collective), and snapshots of the toppling of an Ai generated monument to Fidel (Camila Lobón).

Using Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality, the exhibition translates data, imagery and narratives by activists and human rights platforms with the aim of contextualizing 11J for international audiences and highlighting the role art plays in countering totalitarianism on an international stage.

FORMA FOCO is a Madrid-based collective supporting the talents of people discriminated against for political, racial, sexual, gender, economic and/or ability related reasons, with a special interest in amplifying marginalized Cuban culture.

Artists: Camila Lobón, Carlos Quintela, Heidi Hassan, Kiko Faxas, Yimit Ramírez

Curators: FORMA FOCO (Solveig Font, Julio Llopiz-Casal, Lester Álvarez, Aminta D’Cárdenas) & ENTRE (Marilyn Volkman)

Questions under: entrevienna@gmail.com