Two: Arcane Tender in the UK

COLLAGE HABANA One of the three galleries participating in POST IT 4 2017

Selection of artworks from the three galleries in POST IT 4 TOP l to r: , Yangtse Clemente installation ‘De la series fragmentos’, Andy Leon painting ‘Beef’, Bottom l to r Roger Toledo Pico ‘Pasije sin horizonte ‘, Luis Enrique Milan - ceramic ‘Tarde para no creerseolo’ .

b) Post it 4

Post it 4 was a citywide exhibition of Havana based artists; it was curated jointly by the following three galleries: Galeria Collage Habana, Casa de Las Americas and La Galeria Artis 718.

1.7 Invitations to Cultural Events

Main Irsula Studio and Gallery, Havana Arian Irsula artist and gallery owner

Arcane Tender: Final Event

Andrey Quintana, Josuhe Pagliery and Adislen Reyes, co-owners of the Irsula Gallery in Havana, worked with me and other artists in order to put on a closing event for Arcane Tender in Cuba. Irsula Gallery is an artist run contemporary gallery and studio space and provided an ideal venue in which artists could come together and discuss how to develop an artists' exchange between Cub and the UK.

Before collecting together submitted artworks to be transported to the UK as the basis of a micro exhibition, 'Finding Cuba', University of Nottingham.

Top and Bottom some of the Arcane Tender collaborators meeting with Irene Rogan in discussion about an international art exchange on the last day of the project.

2.1 Finding Cuba (Nottingham)

Immediately upon my return from Cuba and furnished with a suitcase of Cuban art I set about finding a

suitable venue to display the work. I met with Antoni Kapcia and Dr Isobel Story Department Heads of the Centre for Research on Cuba at Nottingham University. They kindly offered to provide a space and helped with the production of all appropriate publicity material. The show was a success with one of the exhibits being sold.

2.2 Artists and Artworks

Laura Carralero (Untitled—Oil painting on canvas)

This example of Laura's work demonstrates an architectural influence. However, her recent practice explores the potency of symbolism including religious iconography in the work of pre 1800 European masters. Laura has recently been invited to exhibit these works in Europe.

Laura Carralero

Darwin Estacio (Unititled—Oil paint on Canvas)

This painting examines the human passion for drama. Estacio's images are often derived from frames taken from mainstream cinema; capturing the specific moment when something is about to, or is happening.

Darwin Estacio

Adonis Flores Betancourt (Interferencia—Original Photographic Print)

Flores exhibits his work throughout Europe and the USA. He draws inspiration from his own experience of military service in Angola, where many Cubans were sent to fight for communism. The work explore a

Adonis Flores

Ricardo Miguel Hernández (Untitled—photograph) sold

Ricardo Hernandez

Ricardo studied under the now exiled artist and political activist Tania Bruguera. His photography and video work is characterised by his experience of the prevailing Cuban political milieu.

Still from Máscaras by Pablo Massip work-in-progress

Pablo Massip

Pablo Massip (still from 'Máscaras')

As a director and cinematographer Pablo has established a worldwide reputation. His current work-in-progress Máscaras or Masks examines the child's momentary world of innocence before the more worldly adult adoption of culturally defined persona or masks becomes a social necessity.

Marianela Orozco (‘A journey of a thousand miles’ mixed media on paper 2017)

The depicted work is described as a celebration of having quite

recently given birth. Having originally completed a Licentiate in

Philology from the Universidad Central de Las Villas, Marianela's

current multi-disciplinary creative practice typically produces

challenging performances and conceptual interventions that are

serene and quietly contemplative but no less profound. Her work has

been exhibited widely in both Cuba and internationally

Enrique Rottenberg (photographic print on coaster)

Enrique Rottenberg

Enrique's photography and installations have been exhibited internationally (see Wikipedia entry). His work has been variously described as controversial, satirical, manic-melancholic, lewd, empathic and alarming. This is in part due to their exploration of what Shelling defined as disturbing oddness; "(...) everything that being intended to remain secret, hidden, has come to light."

Still: ‘Cuba Libre ‘ Video performance Director Irene Rogan, Camera Ricardo Hernandez and Howar Acosta

Irene Rogan, Ricardo Hernandez & Howar Acosta (still from 'Cuba Libre')

A collaborative video performance (see 1.5, Collaboration above)

Documentary photography l: Ricardo Hernandez r: Irene Rogan

‘All the Yesterdays’ the red boxes selected from the archive containing the Cuban Granma publication

Irene Rogan and Dr Isobel Story ('All our Yesterdays' Installation)

The University of Nottingham Centre for Research on Cuba is home to the Hennessy Collection, a unique archive of Cuban periodicals from the 1960s through to the 1990s. Situating the 'Finding Cuba' exhibition amidst this collection provided the inspiration for artist, Irene Rogan and collections curator, Dr Isobel Story to produce a site specific installation. This new work contributed to the overall Arcane Tender project.

Three red boxes containing copies of the Cuban newspaper 'Granma' (collected by the Foreign Office Attaché) are displayed open with sheets of paper positioned beneath and detailing the key news/cultural events described within each box.

By placing these documents in juxtaposition to the work of contemporary Cuban artists a dialogue is created. This discourse examines the changing relationship of a current outward looking and aspirational generation to the more isolationist position of an earlier revolutionary, communist era.