photo: courtesy of Havana Gallery.

Who knew that in the heart of Lincoln Park and the DePaul University campus lay a window into the world of Cuba? In 1999 this spacious and bright room was converted from a video store into a premiere art gallery, representing the work of more than 30 Cuban and Cuban-American artists. Thanks to a Supreme Court decision, which allows cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Cuba, the gallery was able to open its doors. Since travel is impossible, the gallery provides one of the rare opportunities for Americans to see Cuban imaginations and points of view which otherwise go unseen and un-celebrated in this country.

The gallery focuses on Cuban painting, mostly for logistical reasons. Since Cuban artists can’t travel here, gallery personnel head to Cuba twice yearly to collect artists’ work on consignment. Paintings just fit more easily in suitcases than sculptures! Artists on the roster work in a variety of styles including portraiture, abstraction, surrealism, and landscape.

The same vivid, colorful, and dynamic feel that makes up Cuban music and architecture resonates in the solo and group exhibitions that rotate on a four-to-six week basis. From Pablo Perea’s dreamy paintings of Cuban landscapes to Isolina Limonata’s mixed media folksy pieces, the range of works on as impressive as the gallery’s commitment to Cuba.

Centerstage Reviewer: Joanne Hinkel