In the special exhibition ¡Cuba!, you can see re-creations of lush wetlands and dazzling coral reefs, but these aren’t the only vibrant colors and striking visuals on view. The closing section of this bilingual exhibition features a gallery of contemporary posters from some of the island nation’s most compelling artists and graphic designers.
Posters, often promoting government programs and state-sponsored events, have a long history as one of Cuba’s most iconic art forms, and they remain a popular medium for many designers today.
“A poster puts your creativity and cunning to the test and challenges you to say something using just a few elements,” says designer Michele Miyares Hollands, an acclaimed Cuban poster artist whose work is featured in the exhibition—and who created the Cuban anole artwork for the exhibition’s advertising campaign.
The original posters on view in the exhibition were made by silk-screening, a labor-intensive printing process in which individual colors are applied in separate steps, eventually resulting in a multilayered work where each print is truly one of a kind.
Among the works displayed are posters from the Pensamos Cuba series, a government-sponsored collection of posters and prints in which artists share their thoughts and feelings on everyday life in Cuba.
“Cuban art…offers a wide panorama of languages, themes, and modes of expression linked to the diversity of Cuban thought today,” says Hollands. “It channels much of the daily life of the people, acting as a strong critic on important issues.”
Want to learn more about Cuba’s art scene? Watch Hollands in conversation with ¡Cuba! co-curator Ana Porzecanski in the video below.
To see candid conversations with curators, tours of rarely seen collections, and more, follow the Museum on Facebook.