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(image Charlotte Lybeer - Liudmila & Nelson)
February 5 - April 17
Wed - Sun 1 pm – 6 pm
cc Mechelen
Opening February 3 at 8 pm
book your free ticket for the opening here

 
In 2019, Cuba celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Revolution. In 1959, Fidel Castro and Ché Guevarra ousted the dictator Fulgencio Batista and the country began working towards a utopian future. However, caught between the hammer and the anvil of Soviet communism and an American embargo, the country entered a period of sustained economic hardship whilst remaining fundamentally committed to the socialist values of the Revolution.
 
Against this background, an extensive photography project was set up with four Cuban and four European artists. Taking the current social and economic reality of the island as their starting point, each developed a photographic project that together provide a nuanced picture of this complex country. The eight works juxtapose the photographic interpretations of the local artists with those of the Europeans, who produced their work during several intensive working trips. The project starts from the idea of 'heritage', in the broadest sense of the word, and explores Cuba's past, present and future.
 
Who we are and from which perspective we view each other determines the richness of this unique photography mission.
 
This VLIR-UOS project is the result of a collaboration between ISA, Universidad de las Artes in Havana and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
 
Ossain Raggi Gonzalez, Bert Danckaert, Linet Sanchez, Charlotte Lybeer, Liudmila & Nelson, Ulla Deventer, Ricardo Elias, Simon Roberts
 
Curator:
Joachim Naudts

 

In 2019 vierde Cuba de zestigste verjaardag van de revolutie. In 1959 verjaagden Fidel Castro en Ché Guevarra dictator Batista en ging het land een utopische toekomst tegemoet. Maar terecht gekomen tussen hamer en aambeeld van Sovjetcommunisme en het Amerikaanse embargo werd Cuba gedwongen tot overleven en bleef het principieel vasthouden aan de socialistische waarden van de revolutie.

Tegen deze achtergrond werd een uitgebreid fotografieproject opgezet met vier Cubaanse en vier Europese deelnemers. Met de actuele realiteit van het eiland als uitgangspunt ontwikkelden ze elk een project dat samen een genuanceerd beeld geeft van dit complexe land.  De acht projecten plaatsen de fotografische interpretaties van de lokale kunstenaars tegenover die van de Europeanen die tijdens verschillende intensieve werkreizen hun werk maakten. Het project vertrekt van ‘erfgoed’ in de meest brede zin van het woord en richt de blik op het verleden, heden én toekomst van Cuba.
Wie we zijn en vanuit welk perspectief we mekaar bekijken, bepaalt de rijkdom van deze unieke fotografiemissie.

Dit VLIR-UOS project is het resultaat van een samenwerking tussen ISA, Universidad de las Artes in Havana en de Koninklijke academie voor Schone Kunsten te Antwerpen.

Ossain Raggi Gonzalez, Bert Danckaert, Linet Sanchez, Charlotte Lybeer, Liudmila & Nelson, Ulla Deventer, Ricardo Elias, Simon Roberts
Curator:

Joachim Naudts


The book 'WHERE ARE YOU FROM' is available !
Order here

Text:
Alison Nordström
Ossain Raggi & Bert Danckaert

Design: 
Kim Beirnaert

Published by:
Stockmans Art Books

Like photography itself, the Cuba Photography Missions is slippery, complex and multi-layered. It is self-defined as a project in documentary photography; it is a collaborative international exchange among institutions and artists; it is an educational initiative; it has resulted in art. As someone whose knowledge of Cuba comes, in part, from direct experience of the place and more from photographs of it, it has been my pleasure to take part in this effort, adding some historical context as well as a personal perspective.

Towards, the end of this project, in the beginning of 2020, I took part in a symposium about it in Havana just before we all locked down. Now, a year later, I am writing for the catalogue. It’s dark March in Cambridge; Cuba and the person I was when I went there seem very far away. As usual I turn to photographs and the ideas around them, hoping to figure out how I know what I do about Cuba and how that relates to documentary ideas and ideals. 

Excerpt from a text by Alison Nordström


Bert Danckaert (B)


Charlotte Lybeer (B)


Liudmila & Nelson (Cub)


Ossain Raggi (Cub)


Simon Roberts (UK)


Linet Sánchez (Cub)


Ricardo Elías (Cub)


Ulla Deventer (D)
 


 

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