Cuban art lost one of its most prolific creators. María Elena Molinet, scenic designer, teacher and essayist died in Havana at 94 years of age. She was born in Holguín on September 30, 1919; Maria Elena graduated herself from the Inter American Academy of Commercial Drawing in 1949, and in painting and printmaking from San Alejandro Academy in 1952.
María Elena Molinet deserved the National Design, Artistic Teaching and Theatre Awards and she was linked to the movies during the 1970s and appeared in several film productions from the hand of Humberto Solas, Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Manuel Octavio Gómez. We can find her mark in the national cinema in films like Lucia (1968), La primera carga al machete (1969), El siglo de las luces (1976), and Baraguá (1986) where she created a visual aesthetic that defines the Cuban cinema since then.
Molinet was also granted with the Alejo Carpentier Medal and National Culture Distinction; was founder of the National School of Arts and taught at the Faculty of Arts and Letters of Havana University, at the Higher Institute of Industrial Design and other institutions linked to the performing and visual arts in Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Spain.
The grand dame of scenic design in Cuba was devoted for more than half a century to costume design of various theatrical genres such as ballet, contemporary and folk dance and especially to theater, where she helped in some 150 plays of different countries. In this area she created costumes for directors such as Andrés Castro, Vicente Revuelta, Roberto Blanco, Rolando Ferrer and Abelardo Estorino.
Maria Elena’s work is without doubt an essential contribution to the history and research on Cuban clothing and dress modes from the origins of the nation. This was reflected in her books ¨La piel prohibida¨, ¨Teoría de la Imagen del hombre en Cuba¨, ¨Historia de la Imagen del Hombre Universal¨ and ¨Vestimenta tradicional de la santería cubana.¨
During her last years she directed the Center for Research, Information and Design on the Image of Man. This way, tireless, industrious and friend of youth, María Elena Molinet said goodbye to Cuba, sure that her imprint will always be in the Cuban art, and also in the scenic design worldwide.
Fulfilling Molinet’s last will, her body will be cremated. The funeral will be held on October 10th.
Author
Alejandro Ruiz Chang
