Matanzas: The rebirth of Cuba's abandoned cultural hub

[El Presidente]

Excellent Piece. 

Matanzas: The rebirth of Cuba's abandoned cultural hub

 

By Brendan Sainsbury24th January 2022

 

Once known for its music, art and architecture, Matanzas had succumbed to neglect and disrepair. Decades later, however, it's being returned to its former glory.

"It used to be a garage," Adrián Socorro told me as he opened the large doors of El Garabato, his art studio on Calle Narváez beside the San Juan River. "Then, around the time that Matanzas was preparing for its 325th anniversary in 2018, the city historian finally approved my project and I moved in."

Inside was a warehouse-like room littered with the paraphernalia of an active workshop: plastic bottles and clusters of brushes, a multi-coloured palette, a half-finished sculpture of a cow-like animal hanging upside-down from the ceiling. Paintings were everywhere: hung on walls; propped on easels; stacked on tables. I spied dogs, chickens, flowers and nudes, all of them creatively drawn in a style that seemed to mix impressionism with the avant-garde.

CONTINUED

[Corylax18]

10 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Excellent Piece. 

Matanzas: The rebirth of Cuba's abandoned cultural hub

By Brendan Sainsbury24th January 2022

Once known for its music, art and architecture, Matanzas had succumbed to neglect and disrepair. Decades later, however, it's being returned to its former glory.

"It used to be a garage," Adrián Socorro told me as he opened the large doors of El Garabato, his art studio on Calle Narváez beside the San Juan River. "Then, around the time that Matanzas was preparing for its 325th anniversary in 2018, the city historian finally approved my project and I moved in."

Inside was a warehouse-like room littered with the paraphernalia of an active workshop: plastic bottles and clusters of brushes, a multi-coloured palette, a half-finished sculpture of a cow-like animal hanging upside-down from the ceiling. Paintings were everywhere: hung on walls; propped on easels; stacked on tables. I spied dogs, chickens, flowers and nudes, all of them creatively drawn in a style that seemed to mix impressionism with the avant-garde.

CONTINUED

Thanks for posting Rob. I'm planning to drive through Matanzas in a few weeks on my way to/from Scuba Diving. I hadn't planned on spending any time there, but I'm rethinking that now!

[Huckleberry]

Any ideas of what those ladders are used for?  Curious…
 

 

[Ryan]

7 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Any ideas of what those ladders are used for?  Curious…
 

 

Well spotted. They're part of the art installation.

https://gironnoticias.wordpress.com/2019/04/29/xiii-bienal-de-la-habana-en-matanzas-escaleras-al-san-juan/