According to Director Sandra Levinson, the purpose of the Cuban Art Space gallery is to promote the work of Cuba's artists. "Given the decades-old break in relations between Cuba and the United States, this is not easy," said Levinson. "But we start with a certain advantage: the Center has been working on cultural exchange programs for many years, and we've presented several exhibits of Cuban art, posters and photography in other venues."

The Center has presented shows at the National Arts Club, the Ledel Gallery, Westbeth, the Metropolitan Pavillion and in galleries throughout the country, including in Massachusetts, California, Oregon, North Carolina, Florida and Minnesota. Levinson, pointed out that "All of the galleries showing Cuban art in this country owe a debt of gratitude to the Center, because in 1991, we spearheaded a successful lawsuit against the Treasury Department, which made the importation and sale of original art from Cuba legal." Cuban art is still very little known here, despite the increased interest in Cuba generally and the tremendous appreciation of Cuban music now evident everywhere. "That is especially true for artists still living and working in Cuba," says Levinson, "and even more for those who live outside of Havana. The Cuban Art Space gallery places as much emphasis on showing artists who live in the provinces as on presenting those from the metropolis. Many of the artists in current shows are from Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and Pinar del Rio." The Cuban Art Space also presents Cuban films. See our Cuban Art Space program schedule at www.cubaupdate.org/whatis.htm.

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