Despite the isolation of this controversial island, international curators, collectors and art dealers still fly to Havana to discover promising young artists. They are attracted by the sense of the forbidden created by the isolation of the island and its political landscape, and they are challenged by the development of the contemporary art system in a context where the freedom of expression is limited.
The Cuban contemporary art scene in Havana brings an exotic flavour to the international contemporary art system but its perception is far from unique. According to artist Wilfredo Prieto, “The quality and the attractiveness of Cuban art are given by the lack of financial pressure on the artists who can dedicate themselves to art entirely”. Of a different opinion is artist Sandra Ceballos, director and co-founder of the Cuban independent space Espacio Aglutinador. In her view, the system guarantees freedom of expression only to a restricted group of privileged Cuban artists whose art is in line with the regime. In order to appreciate the Cuban contemporary art system, one needs to understand its complex and sometimes enigmatic society.
