Havana could have a Museum of Contemporary Art in the coming months. At least until the 12th Havana Biennial to occupy squares and cultural centers between May 22 and June 22 this year with visual projects of more than 200 artists from about 44 countries
The event, which actually is being done every three years, continues to respect, according to its director Jorge Fernández Torres, the original sense that gave it birth: to give voice to those artists who have had less opportunity to express themselves, while putting talking to artists from different regions and with different art visions.
Between the idea and experience, rather than issue, it will be method and practice of work at the Biennial, bringing together artists with a multidisciplinary team including scientists, botanists, historians, sociologists and anthropologists, to work on the concept of art expansion, its relationship to the contexts and the incorporation of knowledge.
The Historic Center of Havana will be occupied by 48 artists, including Lázaro Saavedra, Fidel Garcia and the Creative City project, while the Centre for Development of Visual Arts will host the sound project by the Italian Michelangelo Pistoletto. The venues in the municipality of Centro Habana will be Colón neighbourhood and Trillo Park, while Infanta Cinema shall propose a sample of experimental film curated by Esperanza Collado. Meanwhile, Plaza de la Revolucion municipality will host eight collective projects, while its similar of Playa will do the same with Romerillo Organic Museum, Kcho, and other events at the Higher Institute of the Arts.
The list of the major artists who will attend the 12th Biennial also includes Gregor Schneider (Germany), José Eduardo Yaque (Cuba), Lin Yilin (China), Nelda Castillo and El Ciervo Encantado (Cuba) James Webb (South Africa), Meira & Toirac (Cuba) and Guillermo Zabaletta (Uruguay).
Nearly 200 side projects will be presented, among which are Zona Franca (Free Trade Zone), the largest exhibition of Cuban art so far, to be shown at La Cabaña Fortress, and Detras del muro (Behind the wall), intervention we will remember from the last edition.
The 12th Havana Biennial then proposes a thirty days date with the visual arts; the most important event on the island with contemporary art and much of its protagonists globally.
