“The 100 questions of the Cuban art”

"The 100 questions of the Cuban Art" came out in the middle of the debate raised by Decree 349 (Decreto 349), a new 2018 alleged censoring cultural rule promulgated by the Cuban government.

They are exactly 100 questions, neither more nor less, and the queries set up an intention for an in-depth exploration into mainly Cuban visual arts, although it’s important to announce that the questioning goes much further.

Covering the infinity of issues that Magela Garcés suggests in her “The 100 questions…” would be an ideal task for a Doctoral investigation perhaps about the micro-world of the Cuban reality with art at its core or as a formal justification for the immersion in the analysis. Aware of that, we focus here in reflecting merely those questions that strictly, and in our opinion, can quickly bond to the matters of this blog.

Below we listed those questionings that stand out most about the Cuban visual art market and the practices that affect its direct setting. Unlikely Magela, who suffered consequences immediately after publishing her 100 questions, Cuba Fine Art Box launches this post aware of the discomfort that the simple questioning can inflict to the censors of the Cuban art. Happily, we recognize that the acumens of "The 100 questions…” are 100 times more well-intentioned and worth to publicize than the censors’ decadent Decreto 349

Also, because there is nothing we can do in regards to the censors’ suffering, we find that in fact, it’ll be somehow very convenient to spread out a few nuances about "The 100 questions…”. Hopefully, we can influence someone’s excellent judgment and light up the path to collectors and other healthy ingenuities, turning their focus into our visual arts.

Sharing some of these open questions aligns with the intention of the author to contribute drawing clues about the Cuban visual arts status- quo. Optimistically we’ll leave you with the impression that more critical than essaying specific answers or publicizing any alleged pseudo police or artistic investigation, what matters the most (at least in our modest opinion) is the acknowledgment of those imbalances that define our art and subsequently the relation with the international market.

"The 100 questions of the Cuban Art", by Cuban gallerist and curator Magela Garcés/

_{@rticle released on December 7, 2018 by @artoncuba}

1. Who is the best-paid contemporary Cuban artist?

(…)

23. What is the Cuban gallery that sells the most per year?

24. What is the gallery that has the best staff of artists?

25. Who is managing the State-run Galería Habana?

(…)

33. How many artistic projects (works, exhibitions, realized or not) were censored this year (2018)?

34. How many in 1978?

(…)

37. Why has the Minister of Culture position changed so much in the last five years?

(…)

41. How much is grossing the Havana branch of Galería Continua each year?

42. If they do not have legal status to conduct business in Cuba, how come are they still in business?

43. What taxes do they pay?

44. Do they pay taxes at all?

45. What benefits, besides the spiritual benefit, does the Cuban State obtain with the presence of Continua in Cuba?

(…)

60. Did the National Museum of Fine Arts finally recover the stolen pieces?

61. Is it true that those involved in the robbery affair are hanging out free in Miami Beach?

62. Also, what was the result of the investigation about the piece by Master Servando Cabrera that was stolen from the State-run Galería Habana?

63. Was someone in Cuba appointed liable for such robbery?

64. And what about the result of the investigation regarding the piece (or fragment of it) also stolen from the recent art show La Noche Boca Arriba, at State-run gallery La Acacia?

(…)

78. Is it true that the State-run event Subasta Habana (Havana Auction) will start again next year?

(…)

79. How many Cuban art collectors live in Cuba?

_@artoncuba