I recently met with two lovely young artists who were traveling the states to exhibit their work in a few shows. Mari Claudia Garcia Ruiz and her cousin Lisandra Garcia Lopez. Well educated and traveling the states via local gallery owners and living on cash, as they aren’t allowed to have credit or bank cards.
We were excited and enthralled purchase their art and discuss their lives and passions over a casual dinner. I was so impressed by their sense of adventure, traveling alone on buses and planes in a land of high technology, so opposite of their homeland. Also impressed with their individual creativity. Each has a very distinctive style. Slightly provocative and a personal statement of their values and environment.
Sharing some recent work of Mari Claudia and her statement piece on the works.
“Object used to coerce during…” from the series “From consumption to communication and viceversa” (bronze, lead, acrylic, velvet and wood)
Artwork composed by two bronze and lead knuckle-busters with the following engraved phrase: “A CLEAR VOICE CANNOT COMPETE WITH A STRONG ONE”. From Mari Claudia: The phrase exists; I have only varied the word order to change its meaning and talk about power relations. The piece was displayed in a way similar to a museum work piece trying to make people think it was a real object from past times.
If you have a trip already planned to Cuba, both girls are receptive to sharing their art work with my clients and friends. Please message me for contact details.
Mari Claudia sells her art directly in her studio and also at Avistamientos Gallery. http://www.cubartecontemporaneo.com/avistamientos-gallery/ 10 Johnson street between Mayía Rodríguez and La Sola, Santos Suárez, 10 de Octubre Havana, Cuba CP 14700
“Amnesia” (C-print.)
Five photographs made of five marks on animal skin. The dates represent key moments of human development, from a technological point of view. This artwork places the idea of “evolution” and makes a reflection about our cultural model, what we know, and how we know it.
“Re-constitution” from the series “From consumption to communication and vice versa” (paper, ink, acrylic, stainless steel and zinc)
Artwork made from the current Constitution of the Republic of Cuba. I have rewritten all the pages using a pen, over the same printed text, and made a new book that transmits a different energy and a stance with respect to the law.
Artist Statement – Mari Claudia García Ruiz
I have developed my work around the concept of communication. Language – written and oral- acquires an outstanding role, for I understand that it is defining for relations established in life and art.
Trying to understand the social order, and the structures that make us behave as we do, can be disturbing at times, and bring about reflections about power, culture, and lexicon, as a form of expression and social behavior. I am interested in the subject’s conduct as a being developing collectively, where our ideas about “the cultured” and “the moral” play an important role.
My work is not always addressed to a specialized audience. That is the reason why I am interested in the object and its social dimension. Working mainly with existing objects, give me the possibility of modifying them, in order to camouflage them within reality itself.
Personal Exhibitions
2013- “Zoom”. Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales (CDAV). Havana, Cuba.
Some collective exhibitions
- 2014- “Sans Serif”. Kesselhaus. Berlin, Germany.
- 2014- 6th Cuban Contemporary Art Salon (SACC). Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes
Visuales. Havana, Cuba.
- 2014- “Pan y circo”. Ballet Faculty Ruins (actually known as Circus Ruins). Arts University. Havana, Cuba.
- 2013/2014- Itinerary exhibition “Feminine voices and poetics. 1990-2013”. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, SOMArts. San Francisco, United States of America.
- 2013- International video art festival (FIVAC). Camagüey, Cuba.
- 2012- “Layers”, XI Havana Biennial. Arts University (ISA). Havana, Cuba.
- 2012- Exhibition at Riera Studio, collateral to XI Havana Biennial. Havana, Cuba.
- 2012- Opening exhibition of Galería Avistamientos. Havana, Cuba.
- 2011- “Cripsis”. Arts University (ISA). Havana, Cuba.
- 2011- “Torbellino II”. Havana Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
- 2011- “Sotto Voce”. Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales (CDAV). Havana, Cuba.
- 2011- “Ático”. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
- 2010- “Emplazamiento”. Mariano Rodríguez Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
- 2010- “Viene el lobo (el verdadero loop)”. Factoría Habana Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
- 2009- Exhibition and sale at the “La Bodega de Paquito” Project, organized by
artists Sandra Ceballos and Samuel Riera. Grocery store at Cerro Municipality. Havana, Cuba. - 2009- Exhibition of the “Los Nuevos Fieras” Workshop, collateral to the 10th Havana Biennial. Guayasamín Museum.
- 2009- “Cambio y Fuera”, collateral to the 10th Havana Biennial. Arts University (ISA). Havana, Cuba.
- 2007- “Efecto acción y reacción”. Carmelo González Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
- 2004- Collective exhibitions “Ron-Pan-Fila 1” and “Ron-Pan-Fila 2”. José Antonio Díaz
Peláez Gallery, San Alejandro Arts Academy. Havana, Cuba.
Awards
- 2013- Creation Scholarship Havana Cultura sponsored by Havana Club International.
- 2012- Creation Scholarship Estudio 21 sponsored by Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes
Visuales (CDAV).
Some collections
Avistamientos Gallery. Cuba.
C de Cuba. Spain.
Several private collections in England and United States.
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