The arts are an area where Cuba stands high with the rest of the world. Carlos Acosta, for example, is one of the most eminent ballet dancers of his age and an ambassador for Cuba as he dances across the world, while he is also seeking to establish a ballet school in Cuba, designed by Norman Foster.  At Art 14, galerihabana shows a variety of contemporary artwork, with photography and a example of Los Carpinteros, the group of young Cuban artist who  integrate architecture, design and sculpture to artworks that “negotiate the space between the functional and the nonfunctional”.  Los Carpinteros have now exhibited extensively outside Cuba, so it is good to see an example of their work in London, building on a previous showing of Carlos Garaicoa’s work at the Tate Gallery.

Art has the ability to cross political boundaries. Only a few days ago, the Wall Street Journal reported on the first new partnership between Cuba and the US that enabled collaboration between art institutions in Havana and Miami.  More of this please….