Afro-Cuban Art: History and Memory

A panel of scholars, curators and artists examines how Afrodescendant contributions have shaped the history and interpretation of Cuban art. The discussion takes place Thursday, September 10, at the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. Moderated by Michael J. Bustamante, the program brings together Alejandro de la Fuente, Bárbaro Martínez-Ruiz and artist Juana Valdés.

Drawing on the exhibitions El Pasado Mío / My Own Past: Afrodescendant Contributions to Cuban Art and Afrocubanismo: Highlights from the Ramón and Nercys Cernuda Collection, the conversation considers more than two centuries of artistic production through the lenses of race, identity, historical memory and modernism.

The panel also explores how museums, archives and scholarship can recover overlooked histories and broaden the traditional canon of Cuban art, while highlighting the role of Afro-Cuban artists and communities in shaping the country’s visual culture.