Empathy in Art

Giving Voice to the struggles of the Cuban people through Art

Please join us Thursday, March 1st from 6:30 – 8:30 in Fifield Hall for an in-depth view and discussion of the works of Juan Manuel Vazquez Iglesias, as seen from the perspective of the artist’s nephew, Guillermo Santana, and of fellow Cuban artist Alexi Torres.  This event will feature a Cuban Dinner and a short presentation by our two speakers.

6:30-7:00 Dinner

7:00 – 8:30 Presentation and discussion from Cuban-American Artist Alexi Torres and Guillermo Santana, co-founder of the Vazquez Cuba Exhibit in Atlanta.

Artist Alexi Torres is a trans-national Cuban immigrant whose large, subtly surreal portraits represent his vision of the human experience. His story begins in Cuba, where history has been dictated by the principles of political rhetoric, its effects on the economy, and its influence over the moral landscape. Torres’ body of work is a thoughtful and emblematic homage to the inheritors of this history, and uses metaphor and symbolism to create a dialogue of empathy. The flesh of his subjects appear to be made of a tightly woven fabric, which he explains is inspired by traditional weaving techniques passed down by previous generations. Currently on view at UNIX Gallery in New York, “Sun Light” is an exhibition of Torres’ portraits of everyday Cuban people. With recent developments made in U.S. and Cuban relations, these paintings serve as a timely reminder of what is really at stake in this cultural clash. Beyond predictions of the chintzy, capitalist invasion of timeless Cuba, we find the lives of people who endured the extremes of a totalitarian regime, as well as a younger generation living through a new phase in Cuban history.