When at six in the evening I arrived and saw a hundred people move towards the ruins of what was once a heritage house, I realized that the goal of the artists had been accomplished.
They, fourteen Matanzas youngsters dedicated to the arts, had decided to exhibit their works in the rubble, as a way to draw the attention of the citizens towards the house located in the number 20 of the Rios Street, with its back toward the San Juan river. This is a tenement-store built in the first half of the nineteenth century, when the economic boom the region lived transformed the urban environment, thus resulting in the so- called Golden Blocks, one of the most remarkable architectural ensembles in Matanzas and country.
Crushed by the passage of time, apathy and lack of resources, these homes that once filled us with pride were deteriorating at the sight of all, and quite a few collapsed. Other suffered the same fate, being erased from memory and real life, turned into parks. The Rios 20, used as a private medical clinic and that later housed the offices of the provincial department of education till its collapse, could have the same fate.
But this time something interesting happened: the group of young artists set up their expo “Nobody lives here”, and changed, as far as possible, the course of this little story. Adjusting themselves to the peculiar conditions of the environment, and making use of existing elements there, many of the pieces were able to share the limelight with the ancient walls, the bricks that came down, with stones, weeds, shadows and prevailing humidity.
In this sense they are the noteworthy the installation “Sillón” by Katia Uliver ; ” The smile of the Universe” , by Edel Alonso ; iron backpack with books inside, ” Baggage ” by Lillian Cedeno ; and Abel Rolo´s graffiti “Goodbye Hiroshima” . Rather minimalist aesthetic show “Home”, by Midielkys Garcia and “The Lamb Fur ” by Yosvany Martinez. Others, more striking and seemingly destined to occupy space in galleries, served with their excess of colors, to increase the contrast on the predominant gray like the ” Tribute to the dead in perfect health ” series , by Jose A. Hernandez. All of them, together, used cubicles and corner featuring the ruins to offer a kind of full , warm and intimate performance , including the hundreds of spectators who attended the event .
And even among them I saw none of the characters that decide the fate of ruined houses or about to fall as this, I knew for sure they learned of the gesture. I know some, and I know what they would d give what they don’t have, what is not in their hands, to return the city to its full splendor. Hopefully one day things will change and we can fulfill the wishes of artists, politicians and sensitive people who take the fate of the city as their own. By now it is clear: someone does live here.
