It all started during last Havana’s International Biennale. Ideas, matrixes, outlines, then pieces and their speech. There, in those huge halls, they remained still, paralyzed but coquette, waiting to be observed, anxious to say something, scream, sing. If anyone would stop, they would loose control, they would go unbridled to a conquest fight as an unconditioned reflex.
They were born in a workshop, some of them cameout from the womb of a press, others just let go by a skillful hand using two or three tools. They were born in different ways but with the same purpose and pretext. They were made to reflect, applaud and immortalize a context, and they ended up paving a way that has not found its final destination in the map yet. Cuban engraving is still a means of expression because it still relies on the necessary raw materials and energy for not getting trapped by silence.
Havana’s 11thInternational Biennale set the starting point for a Project organized by young engravers. They decided to get together encouraged by the single purpose of enhancing graphics, a manifestation that has established significant guidelines in the Cuban plastic arts, but that has lost strength in recent times. HaciendoPresion (Making Pressure) was the name given to this project, which outlines different ways and aims at revealing the values of a millenary artistic tradition.
During the said event, La Cabaña Fortress sheltered their work as a group in pavilions K13 and K14 and from there on them –Hanoi Pérez, LiudmilaLópez, Norberto Marrero, Janette Brossard, Alejandro Sainz, Octavio Irving, Osmeivy Ortega, Aliosky García, Orlando Montalván, Eduardo Leyva, Anyelmaidelín Calzadilla– set the foundations for a totally independent project.
Janette Brossard, one of the main actors in this little group talks about the goals of the project:
“We created a group that intends to show engraving as an effective means within the Cuban contemporary art scenario. We as artists have been trained and have developed our work during the past 15 years approximately. The concept of Haciendo Presion deals with different stands: pressure made from power positions or as a survival need, as a freeing act”.
“Pressure as a physical fact is also the basis for a considerable part of graphic production. Working under pressure due to economic limitations, the creation act as such or underestimation in this sector, are some of the motivations for creating in us a common attitude. HaciendoPresion can be understood as a continuous action, a permanent struggle, a necessary battle”.
The work carried out by these eleven artists also focuses on the promotion of a modality that allows creative and discursive richness; however, at least in Cuba it is not very much known to the public: The Artist Book or Object Book. This is a means of expression used in the project to expand diverse engraving techniques, and thus get the attention of spectators to an unusual proposal in the Cuban contemporary plastic arts.
An artist Book is an art piece in itself. It is unconventional, completely manufactured and it’d rather answer to an artistic object than to the aesthetics of common books. Hence, HaciendoPresion was born with its book (original engravings in a reduced edition of 8 samples), which deals with social phenomena and at the same time reaffirms engraving as a language of visual arts. It was selected by judgeDennis Michael Jon to participate at Boston Printmakers 2013 North American Print Biennial.
In its journey, the group has spread its work by making the most of important cultural moments in Cuba. That’s the reason why, they participated in the 8th National Engraving Meeting, held on November, 2013, which allowed them to revive the energy of this artistic manifestation since the space Huella Multiple was left to memories.
As collateral activity of this event, Haciendo Presion organized the exhibit “El libro arte: un universo”(The art book: a universe) in the alternative space of the workshop Babalu Aye. Its members, in addition to work on their personal pieces, succeeded in developing another idea on artist books: during Havana’s International Book Fair 2014 they took over the Arms Square accompanied by other artists from this same manifestation.
In the meantime, men, the city, Cuba, society in general are still contributing with boosting these artists. Whether from silk screen, lithography, xylography, tracing to the most contemporary engraving techniques, the main goal is to say something, revive the spirit that granted Cuban graphics a top spot in and out the country.
Author
Lisandra Díaz Padrón
