Pictures from the 15th Havana Biennial

Photo Feature by Irina Pino

HAVANA TIMES – In Havana, cultural activities are frequently held, and one of the most prominent is the Biennial, an event that brings together artists from various artistic disciplines such as painting, engraving, sculpture, photography, installations, and performances. Organized by the Wilfredo Lam Center for Contemporary Art, it gathers creators from Latin America and other parts of the world every three years.

Originally, as the name suggests, it took place every two years, but it was extended to three, likely due to the ongoing economic difficulties that affect the island. This Biennial runs from November 15th until February 28th, 2025.

The first Havana Biennial was held in 1984, with participation from over 800 artists from Latin America and the Caribbean. The National Museum of Fine Arts showcased works by Ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín.

A friend encouraged me to visit Pabellon Cuba, one of the exhibition venues. The space was packed with people, and art was displayed in every hall. There were beautiful large-format paintings as well as smaller works. I was particularly interested in a piece by Cuban painter Tomas Sanchez, who later won the Amelia Pelaez National Painting Prize. Sanchez’s works reflect the relationship between man and nature, presented as a state of almost mystical symbiosis.

At that time, there was significant interaction with the public—you could vote for the artworks based on personal preference. I don’t recall whether it was done via a card or a comment book, but what was certain was the overwhelming crowd and the excitement of the people.

Nowadays, however, exhibition halls remain empty. With people preoccupied by food scarcity and lack of transportation, there is little interest in the event. Many attendees now simply go to the opening reception for a drink and a snack.

Looking back, in 2021, the 13th Havana Biennial was not planned due to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, as the funds were redirected to address the disaster. However, independent artists believed the event could still take place, albeit without support from the official institutions.

The alternative Biennial 00 offered the opportunity to showcase works without institutional approval, breaking the norm to give space to countless independent artists with open themes and international projection. This challenge provoked resistance from institutions, and some exhibitions were repressed, diminishing the value of participating artists.

For this 15th Biennial, I have seen works at the Casa de las Américas Latin American Gallery and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

At the Fine Arts Museum, there are two particularly interesting exhibitions worth seeing. The first features a collection of abstract paintings from the 1950s created by women. Artists such as Mirta Cerra, Caridad Ramirez, Carmen Herrera, Zilia Sanchez, Lolo Soldevilla, and Gina Pellon are among the female creators being rescued from the shadows of sexism in art. Today, they receive the homage they never had in their time.

The other exhibition, Delirium Tremens, by visual artist Rocío Garcia, consists of diptychs and triptychs with striking, intense colors that might overwhelm the viewer. Each piece narrates stories of violence and power in various forms, primarily of a sexual nature. These paintings challenge social conventions, depicting the politically incorrect, and revealing the dark and grotesque side of a sordid world—one we often have no access to or prefer not to acknowledge exists.

I’m leaving you with some photographs I took at both exhibitions.

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