The primary objective of The African in the Making of Cuban Art is to seamlessly blend African cultural concepts into an understanding of the evolution of Cuban art. This ambitious goal is achieved by delving into the core artistic principles that have permeated various African civilizations, notably the Kongo and Yoruba traditions, and are now integral to Cuban art. The book aims to strike a balance in the ongoing discourse about the trajectory of Cuban art, which has primarily been shaped by Western art history. It does so by adopting a measured approach to the legacy of African belief systems, critical issues, and aesthetic choices, thereby acknowledging their profound significance in the development of a unique Cuban art.

Bárbaro Martínez-Ruiz is an art historian specializing in contemporary art, rupestrian art, comparative religion, visual culture, and African art history. He is the author of Kongo Graphic Writing and Other Narratives of the Sign (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2012) and Faisal Abdu’Allah: The Art of Dislocation (Las Palmas de Gran Canarias: Centro Atlántico de Art Moderno, 2012), and Green Machine: The Art of Carlos Luna(Oaxaca – México: Editora El Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños, 2016).

With drinks reception after.