Rene Portocarrero Serigrafia Studio, Havana, Cuba, March 2016
Early 2016 I was lucky enough to make an installation in the historic print studio, Rene Portocarrero, in the heart of Havana Vieja, the historic center. Surrounded by ancient printing machines that still use hot press metal and manual guillotines I made a work inspired by my earlier travels through Cuba. The sheer manual nature of every aspect their lives, the resourcefulness of the people. I referenced the crumbling architecture of Havana with the hand tearing of the tape, each strip was manually torn down the middle, inverted and re used, similarly in Cuba, everything is repeatedly re used and has been for the past 50 years.
Cuban people are unbelievably friendly so I had a willing band of helpers through out, with the inevitable Cuban music playing non-stop.
I also ran a small children's workshop for underprivileged children, a delight and I didn't have the heart to call them back when two happily walked off with a roll each of my precious tape. Any kind of tape is treasure in Cuba.
Many thanks to the International Cultural organisation of Subud who made the project possible, Laura the SICA rep and Danella from the Museum of Cuban Art.
Cuban people are unbelievably friendly so I had a willing band of helpers through out, with the inevitable Cuban music playing non-stop.
I also ran a small children's workshop for underprivileged children, a delight and I didn't have the heart to call them back when two happily walked off with a roll each of my precious tape. Any kind of tape is treasure in Cuba.
Many thanks to the International Cultural organisation of Subud who made the project possible, Laura the SICA rep and Danella from the Museum of Cuban Art.
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