Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, June 12. - The Experimental Graphic Workshop of Havana, an emblematic institution of the visual arts in Cuba, is celebrating 63 years of uninterrupted work as a space for the creation, training, and promotion of printmaking.
In connection with the celebration, two group exhibitions will be inaugurated tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. local time on July 30th at its headquarters in Callejón del Chorro, next to Havana Cathedral.
In Memoriam will be on display in the Main Gallery, featuring works from the workshop's historical archive by artists who passed away last year, including Rafael Paneca, Omar Kessel, Zaida Sarol, Óscar Carballo, Javier Guerra, and César Leal.
Similarly, an exhibition of the work of contemporary graphic artists from provincial workshops who have supported the work of this prestigious institution in the capital for several years will be open in the Rhino Hall.
The anniversary activities have spread to other provinces across the country, and in July, 30 works by the maestro Alfredo Sosabravo, founder of the workshop and National Prize winner for Plastic Arts, will be exhibited at the National Library of Cuba, marking his 95th birthday.
Founded in 1962 at the initiative of artists such as Orlando Suárez and José A. Díaz Peláez, the workshop's strategic location, in the heart of Havana's Historic Center, makes it a place visited and known by all that after six decades is still a reference of graphic art in Latin America.
Among its achievements is the recovery of traditional printmaking techniques: lithography, woodcut, and intaglio are kept alive today thanks to its teachers and historic equipment.
The center has also carried out significant work in the training of artists. Essential creators of Cuban plastic arts such as Belkis Ayón, José Omar Torres and Sandra Ramos have passed through its classrooms.
The workshop's international reach has been another important contribution, hosting artist residencies and exhibitions at its Havana headquarters in collaboration with institutions from Europe and the Americas.
The workshop's international reach has been another important contribution, hosting artist residencies and exhibitions at its Havana headquarters in collaboration with institutions from Europe and the Americas.
Among the anniversary initiatives, the group exhibition "63 Years in Ink and Paper" stands out, featuring works by founders and young printmakers, as well as workshops open to the public.
Despite the challenges that accompany the country's material hardships, the Experimental Graphic Workshop of Havana reaffirms its mission to preserve graphic art as a living memory of Cuba. (Text and photo: PL)
