Search the Community

In Bold I have highlighted changes I have noticed in Havana since the last time I visited. La Fabrica de Arte Cubano, FAC. (The Cuban Art Factory) I first heard of this place last February, Hunters & Frankau had an event there on the Sunday night after the festival. Then it got a big mention in the recent Anthony Bourdain show on Cuba. Everywhere in world, venues are moving away from the traditional notion of separate bars, restaurants, nightclubs and entertainment spaces. Bars are now coffee houses as well as restaurants etc. This place has moved that idea on 10 years. There is a large live music venue which becomes disco later. A more intimate “unplugged” live music space. Upstairs there is a movie theatre, showing Blade Runner one of the nights I was there. Up again there is a photography gallery. In another space there’s an art gallery. Some of the work in the art gallery is light years on from the normal touristy art usually seen in old Havana. Some of it I was very surprised that it was allowed to be shown in Cuba, more on that later. If this place was in Milan, Madrid or Seattle, I’d be impressed. That fact that it’s in Havana is almost unbelievable. Change No. 1 The names of the two guys who set it up illude me but one of the more interesting things about this place is the story that they got a 7 figure loan to set this up. This is not a state-run venue, it’s privately owned. I’ve never heard of government loans like that before for private business in Cuba. Apparently there are plans to expand with more. For anybody planning on bringing, say, 50-100 people to Havana, this place would be perfect. Plenty for everyone in there and 100 extra people in that venue would hardly be noticed. The one “fly in the ointment” is that there is not smoking allowed everywhere. There are plenty of very comfortable smoking areas though, indoor and out. Entry is 2 CUC, beer 1.50, cocktails 2.50. Staff all seem to be multi-lingual, trained exceptionally well, and of course beautiful, male and female. I was there 2 nights this time, Sunday and a Thursday. Both very good. On the Thursday night I was there with a Cuban photographer friend of mine, Jose A. Rey, and his wife. We went after the party in the Habana Libre, about 10 of us altogether. I had a great time with them. Of course ended up in Don Cangrejo later but that’s another story. Change No. 2 At the art gallery, some of the big photos I loved, but what especially stood out was a little display called “Milagros” (Miracles) a series of old newspaper clippings of Fidel visiting factories, sick people, food production plants etc. The caption under each describing “the miracle of…”. Of course, the idea of the work is ironically comparing Fidel to Jesus and his miracles like the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. Artists in Cuba have gotten away with more than expected for years but satire of the revolution this obvious was a new one on me. Great place and I’ll be back. Pictures to follow, including some of "Milagros" Loved this. This was hard to decipher from a distance, a bit of the Jackson Pollock about it. Close up, it's plants and moss, all natural. In Cuba there is a term "jineteras". It means literally "female jockeys". The casual meaning is obvious. Some friends at the gallery area Myself with Jose Rey and his wife Laura. Lovely, lovely people. Jazz band in the live music space on the Sunday night. Thursday had Reggaeton and it was hopping More to come.