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This exhibit owes its inspiration
to many artists, especially Manuel Mendive, who first introduced us to his
twin passions: art and the religion of Santería, and to Elio Vilva,
who has for many years dedicated himself to the art of the Orishas;
he introduced us to the complexity of each and every element associated
with the deities. We are indebted to the long friendship offered by
scholars Natalia Bolívar and Miguel Barnet who try mightily to educate the
world through their writings that belief in Santería deserves the
respect of all who look for spirituality in daily life. The depth of their
knowledge and their own spirit impresses and enlightens. They have their
counterparts here, Robert Farris Thompson at Yale, for one, a mighty force
of nature.
Our own 1997 exhibit, “Maferefún
Cuba: African Spirituality in Cuban Art,” inspired us to continue our
exploration of the particular spiritual mezcla that defines Cuba.
Tackling the Orishas has been a fascinating journey because much of
the art on exhibit is done by ordinary artisans for whom making an
Orisha, one particularly meaningful to his/her own life, is simply an
extension of family life. Fidel Reina sits at a small table on a crowded
street in Cienfuegos and quietly weaves his magic with copper wire,
turning it into a fitting tribute to Ochún, who syncretizes with the
patron saint of Cuba. Even the professional artists who are believers live
in different ways, tied to the earth, to nature, to everyday life in a way
that other artists are not.
To move through Mendive's home and
tierra, filled with the elements of his Orishas, or to share the
hospitality of Salvador González as he proudly shows us the altar that is
the centerpiece of his hearth, or to watch the intensity of the Brito
sisters as they draw and paint a spiritualism which is a kind of flip side
of their own Catholicism, is to realize how closely hewn to hearth and
home are these saints. And those who are not believers, are still CUBAN,
and to be Cuban is to be part of this religion in a special way: a fine
example of this is Samuel Weinstein's connection to the cubanía of
Santería through his art, all of which is imbued with the
Orishas, or Alicia Leal's use of Orishas to interpret daily
life. For Montebravo, his infantas are daughters of the Orishas,
another reference that points to the household nature of these Cuban
saints.
Our thanks to all who have helped
us along the way (especially Elegguá, who opened the road), to our many
wonderful Cuban artists, to Ralph Casado, Oliver Hirsch, Jenny Rejeske,
Judy Schmidt.
Sandra Levinson
Sahnet Pérez-Stubbs
Curators |
