Every December the Cuban craftsmen overflow the exhibition spaces of Pabexpo fairgrounds in Havana to present and to commercialize their works during the days of the International Craft Fair (FIART) that this year turns 16.
From this Friday December 7th through the 23rd, lovers of the craft can come to this fairground to appreciate the development of an art that increasingly manages to put together traditions with the demanding needs of modernity, while remaining part of the active national cultural heritage.
In this occasion the fair is dedicated to the craftsmen of the province of Ciego de Avila, who come to Havana, with an interesting handmade sample that includes goldsmith, sculptures, textiles, furnitures, among other manifestations. As part of this delegation D’Morón Teatro and Arnaldo y su talisman groups will enlighten the atmosphere.
Among Cuban handicraft works stand out the works on ceramics, jewellery, textiles, and shoemaking and on furniture for indoor and outdoor locations. All of them with the creators’ stamp whose prestige has been growing from bringing together in their works art, utility and quality.
FIART has been growing in direct ratio with reviving of the Cuban craft trade and its insertion in international markets.
This year Pabexpo receives 387 exhibition stands, 28 of them of the different branches of the Cuban Fund of Cultural Heritage, 7 stands of other Cuban entities like EGREM, ARTEX, the House of Fan and Quitrín, 251 private craftsmen and 85 stands of craftsmen from 16 countries.
In the handicraft event there are participating craftsmen, businessmen and managers for the first time from South Korea, Italy, Russia, Iran and Romania; whereas representatives of Spain repeat their assistance, Argentina, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela.
The organizers of the event, which also will combine exhibitions, conferences and fashion shows, have scheduled for next December 21 the awards ceremony to acknowledge the most original creations and more novel designs. In the same way it will be the first time they will grant the Award to the best Exporter, with which they will recognize craftsmen which have achieved to be inserted in international market.
Author
Laura Paz
