José Toirac and Meira Marrero (Cuba)

Location: Cuba is an island located in the Caribbean. It is just 90 miles from Key West, Florida.

Cuba: A Brief History• Spanish Colonization

(1511-1898)• Slave trade– Colonial economy

depended on slave labor

• José Martí– Poet & Journalist– Considered one of

the greatest Cuban heroes

Cuba: A Brief History• Cuban War of Independence (1868-1898)

[called the Spanish American War in the U.S.]• Platt Amendment (1901)• Gerardo Machado (President of Cuba: 1925-1933)• 1933-1952: various leaders• Fulgencio Batista (President of Cuba: 1952-1959)

During all of these presidencies, the U.S. remained watchful and involved.

January 1, 1959

A new socialist order

Cuba’s relationship with the Soviet Union• As more of Cuba’s property and

industries became government-owned, the U.S. instituted a trade embargo against Cuba in 1962.

• Castro asked for help from USSR, and they forged a deal – the temporary purchase of Cuban sugar in exchange for Soviet fuel.

• Soon, Cuba’s economy was closely entwined with the USSR’s

• After the fall of the USSR and the collapse of its economy, Cuba entered the Special Period in Times of Peace

Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev

Cuba’s Economy• Low-cost housing, transportation, and healthcare are provided• Cubans also receive free education

and food subsidies• Many of the services, however, are considered to

be inadequate or second-rate

Political Repression in Cuba

• The Cuban Communist Party (PCC) is the only recognized party in the country

• Other parties are not allowed to campaign, engage in public speech, or conduct any activities that could be considered counter-revolutionary

• Although there are elections, they are tightly controlled by the government

• Counter-revolutionary movements are not tolerated

• The press is censored and government-controlled

• Independent labor unions are illegal

• Access to the Internet is tightly controlled

BERLIN – MOSCOW – HAVANAReading

José Toiracb. 1966 (Guantánamo, Cuba) painter and installation artist

Meira Marrerob. 1969 (Havana, Cuba)

artist, art critic, historian, and curator

Tiempos Nuevos series (1996)

Opium, 1996Obsession, 1996

Cuba 1869-2006 (2006)

Untitled works from the Alma Pater series (2011)

José Martí with his son José Francisco Martí Fidel Castro with his son of the same name, known as Fidelito

Juan Miguel González with his son Elián González

Ave Maria (2010)

Video: Toirac and Marrero

Residency at the Cleveland Institute of Art: Cuba Project (2011-12)