‘American Hunger: The Avant-Garde in Cuba’
A lecture by curator Rocío Aranda-Alvarado, followed by a screening of film shorts by Sara Gómez
May 17th, 2005, 7:00-9:00 PM
Americas Society
680 Park Ave @ 68th St.
New York, NY 10021
T 212-249-8950
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat, 12:00-6:00 PM (Free Admission)
www.americas-society.org
This event is presented by the Americas Society and is part of the Cuban Arts Festival, May 2005, organized by the Cuban Artists Fund in partnership with El Instituto Cervantes.
MAY 17, 2005 7:00-8:00 PM American Hunger: The Avant-Garde in Cuba: A lecture by Curator Rocío Aranda-Alvarado
This presentation will discuss the Cuban avant-garde of the 1920s and its influence on art movements in later periods. It will also consider the relationship of this early movement to similar movements that were occurring simultaneously elsewhere in the Americas. Movements such as Cubanismo in Havana will be explored in relation to the Harlem Renaissance, Antropofagia in Brazil and to later movements developed by Cuban artists of the 1940s.
Rocío Aranda-Alvarado is the curator at the Jersey City Museum, where she organizes exhibitions of historical and contemporary art, based on the permanent collection and on work by both established and emerging American artists. She is currently working on a retrospective of the work and ideas of Rafael Montañez Ortiz and another group show titled Tropicalisms: Subversions of Paradise.
MAY 17, 2005 8:00-9:00 PM Screening: Film Shorts of Sara Gomez (1943-1974)
We will screen two documentary shorts, in SPANISH ONLY, NO SUBTITLES.
The first, Una Isla Para Miguel (20 mins.) was filmed in the early years of the Cuban Revolution and follows the case of Miguel, a juvenile delinquent sent to re-education camp for street kids who refused to work or go to school. The film begins with Miguels hearing before the camps disciplinary assembly, where he expresses his frustration with the camps strict discipline. The camps curriculum consists of general studies, as well as participation in some form of work and military defense, in order to turn the rebellious youths into productive members of society.
The second film, Y … Tenemos Sabor (24 mins.) is an inspiring documentary that introduces the fundamental instruments used to create the unique rhythmic sounds of Cuban music. The music and dance captured in this video show the energy of these infectious Cuban rhythms.
Born in Cuba, Gomez was a journalist who began studying cinema at Instituto Cubano del Arte e Indrustria Cinematograficos (ICAIC) (the Cuban Institute of Cinematic Art and Industry) in the 1960s. She worked as an Assistant Director to Jorge Fraga, Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Agnes Varda. Sara Gomez made a series of documentary shorts before directing De Cierta Manera (1975), titled in English One Way or Another. While her film was in post-production she died of an acute asthma attack, her film was completed by Tomas Gutierrez Alea.
Reservations/Information: 212.277.8362 / gallery@as-coa.org / www.americas-society.org
For information about other cultural programs, contact: 212.249.8950
