"How Long Have You Been Blind: A Poignant Artistic Rebellion Against Oppression 🇨🇺✊"

8 February 2024

Hager Eissa, student of Applied Human Rights, University of Applied Arts Vienna

In the heart of 'How Long Have You Been Blind,' the exhibition transcends mere brushstrokes and pixels; it becomes a living canvas of resistance, vividly portraying the tumultuous events of July 11, 2021, in Cuba. A spotlight on the poignant work of Forma Foco, a collective comprising Lester Alvarez, Aminta D’Cárdenas, Julio Llópiz-Casal, and Solveig Font, reveals the power of art to shine a light on the marginalized voices silenced by political oppression.

Forma Foco's Creative Symphony:

Forma Foco emerges as a creative force with a purpose – to make visible the talents of those discriminated against for political, racial, sexual, gender, and economic reasons. In the wake of the Cuban Communist Party's economic mismanagement and harsh restrictions on civic freedoms, Forma Foco stands as a beacon for those whose voices have been stifled.

The collective's special interest in Cuban culture, both within the country and in diasporas worldwide, transforms 'How Long Have You Been Blind' into more than an exhibition; it becomes a testament to the resilience of a people determined to carve out spaces for expression despite facing adversity.

 A Window into Discontent:

The artwork showcased echoes the discontent that culminated in the historic protests. The vivid strokes and visual narratives offer viewers a window into the collective frustration, anger, and yearning for change that fueled the largest anti-government demonstrations since the revolution.

The Emotional Impact of Visual Art:

As I immersed myself in the visual tapestry crafted by Forma Foco, the emotional impact was palpable. Each stroke carried the weight of silenced voices, echoing the resilience of those who dared to stand against oppression. It's a reminder that art is not just an aesthetic experience; it's a powerful tool for social commentary, sparking conversations that transcend borders.

Shining Light on the Dark Corners:

'How Long Have You Been Blind' serves as a beacon, exposing the shadows where political power attempts to obscure truths. The collective's work acts as a spotlight, illuminating the struggles of a nation and its people, both within the confines of Cuba and scattered across different corners of the world.

Join the Conversation:

@entre_vienna on instagram

Let's turn this exhibition into a dialogue. What emotions does Forma Foco's work evoke for you? How do you perceive the role of art in addressing political and social issues? Share your thoughts and contribute to the narrative. 

#HowLongHaveYouBeenBlind #FormaFoco #CubanArtResistance #VisualNarratives

Visit the Exhibition: [Entre Vienna]

'How Long Have You Been Blind' is more than an art show; it's a call to action. Let us amplify the voices that refuse to be silenced, and through the strokes of Forma Foco, let us rewrite the narrative of resilience in the face of oppression. 

Exhibition Artworks: 

Collective Hassan - Quintela

Artificial perception on Cuba 1.0

2023. Video installation.

Video_1 | 1:1 / 11 min (Loop). 4K / Cuban migrants: Julián Martínez | Víctor Cruz & Video_2 | Generative Art. 16:9. / 6 min (Loop).  4K. / Cuban migrants: Julián Martínez | Víctor Cruz.

Our art arises at a crucial point where traditional film techniques meet the avant-garde of artificial intelligence. We use this fusion to deepen the cinematic canvas, creating a digital mosaic that immerses viewers in the nuanced reality of Cuba, both on the island and throughout its diaspora.

In this endeavor, our vision is to challenge and disturb the monochromatic narrative that has long defined the Cuban experience, one deeply rooted in the revolutionary myth. Our art serves as a portal to the multiple layers of Cuban life, exposing the intricate stories eclipsed by the official narrative.

Beyond the realm of cinema, we find refuge in the visual arts, a sanctuary for cinematic practices that, due to their commercial nature, are at risk of disappearing. In the visual arts, these practices find a bastion for their growth, merging with new media and transhuman artistic practices that are emblematic of our millennium.

We invite our audience to venture beyond the veil of the facade that has been exported from Cuba. By intertwining the genuine textures of everyday Cuban life with the expansive potential of new media, we create a narrative that resonates with the profound unrest of the current Cuban experience. Our artistic work is not merely a revelation but a dialogue, a challenge to the established order, and a means to build bridges of understanding about the experiences of a people, both domestically and globally. By stripping away the layers tied to a revolutionary past, we share the dynamic tapestry of Cuban identity, an evolving narrative as diverse and vibrant as the people who continue to weave it.

Camila Ramirez Lobón

Monument to be torn down (First versión)

2023, Installation, 6 photos polaroid, Variable dimensions.

When Fidel Castro Ruz died on November 25, 2016, he expressed his desire that no monuments be erected in his name. This prohibition is not surprising considering the fate suffered by the images of the leaders of similar autocratic processes in other countries. The leader, who remained in power, wanted to avoid the image of his public defenestration.  Iconoclasm is a powerful language of reparation and historical reflection, and it is from this that this work is conceived. I have simulated, in a post-totalitarian Cuba, the construction of a monument to the dictator to be demolished as a fair tribute to his legacy.

Kiko Faxas

Untitled: 11J.db_data-sonification 

2022. Sound installation. Puredata patch: sound enhancement of political prisoners database in Cuba.

The piece is a sound recording of the database of Cuban political prisoners who were linked to the popular protests of July 11 and 12, 2021 in all the provinces of the country. The work was composed exactly one year after these events occurred.

To carry it out, some of the most relevant fields of the database have been mapped to certain musical parameters. For example, the province of Havana corresponds to the different notes of a violin in pizzicato, the duration of the sentencing (read, years in prison) with the tempo (that is, the speed) at which the database is scanned, and the type of sentencing "Deprivation of Liberty" with the sounds of a prepared piano, etc. In general, the timbral palette used for the mapping process corresponds to the instrumental sounds of a modern symphony orchestra (for more information on this you can consult the attached files that appear in the './info/' folder).

Although it is evident that the purpose of the gesture is not intended to be in any way scientific, but rather symbolic; There are certain elements that can be perceived very clearly in a listening process. Among others, the age of prisoners at the time of their arrest has been correlated with panning: that is, the sound events of detainees under 30 years of age appear more displaced towards the left ear in the stereo panorama, while those of older than 30 are shown further to the right. The fact that an aural balance is perceived between both channels implies, therefore, that there is a more or less equal (or uniform) distribution between the number of protesters that comprises the generational range that goes from 12 to 29 years old, and the number of protesters whose age range ranges between 30 and 75 years.

Yimit Ramirez

Caribbean Jacuzzi, 2021-2023.

Sculpture. Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality. Oculus. Variable dimensions.

Caribbean Jacuzzi stands as a complex augmented reality installation, where the visible and the invisible interlace to challenge our grasp of reality and history. Stepping into the exhibition space, what is merely a void adorned with Polaroid snapshots on the walls to some, becomes a field of discovery that defies perception and awareness for others.

Rooted in the symbolic power of Cuba's July 11th movement, the work uses augmented reality glasses as a gateway to a hidden dimension. The room, initially perceived in full color by the naked eye, takes on a monochrome hue through the lenses—save for the vibrant digital sculpture that bursts forth with the intensity of that which must not be forgotten: an overturned police car and a youth brandishing the Cuban flag.

The act of looking through the glasses is not merely a visual act, but a gesture of revelation and complicity. Those equipped with the glasses are led to reflection and inquiry, encouraged to explore and uncover, to dive into an alternative reality where they can interact with the hidden elements of the artwork. The piece blurs the lines between art and viewer, between knowledge and ignorance, creating a dual space of performance where each action can be interpreted diversely depending on the level of perception.

Transcending physical and digital space, Caribbean Jacuzzi becomes a visceral experience that plays with the notion of what lies before us and what we choose to see. It invites viewers to question narratives not just within the island of Cuba but in their very understanding of the world, thus forging a silent dialogue between those who know the truth behind the installation and those yet to discover it. With each spectator that enters and moves through the room, the work accrues new layers of meaning, constructing a collective performance where augmented and physical realities collide, generating a potent reflection on the duality of perception and the responsibility of knowledge.

link to exhibition home page