DISCUSSIONS-A
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Discussion1_reply.docxJodi Lo
MondayAug 17 at 11:16pm
The Cuban Revolution had spark a new cultural movement in several aspects, especially the film institute ICAIC. According to the textbook, “ Among the earliest cultural acts of the revolutionary government….in March of 1959 , was the founding of the Cuban National Film Institution (ICAIC)(Art and Revolution Chapter 2). Cuba's film industry has produced some of the most SIGNIFICANT Latin American films, and it is normally presented in Latin American film festival in Cuba. In literature, music and dance many of the traditional cultural forms have been serve as a new creations. The development of cultural movement in Cuba have made numerous artists with continued generations to discovered new visions of Latin American art. A new art which will incorporate elements of their ideology and the elements of the folk cultures that had been marginalizes previously. According to the textbook, “ What we hope to achieve in the future…is for art to penetrate all spheres of life…among these accomplishments is the immense progress registered towards incorporating diverse cultural activities into the everyday experience of the Cuban public (Art and Revolution Chapter 2).” From this point, Cuba have became a center for Latin American art in the 1960's as many artists in other countries found themselves dislike the government censorship and repression. Painters, poets and musicians have tried hard to express their ideas through their works and paintings.
The political system in Cuba do not have the permission to express its own ideas. Media can easily accessed by citizens had made art an important form of criticism and political expression. According to the textbook it mentioned that, “In determining how the art became more accessible to the Cuban populace as part of a decentralization of political power on the local level, I shall show how this process was also sometimes in structural conflict with the national centralization of power by a Leninist vanguard (Art and Revolution Chapter 2 )” Not only that, media were highly censored, making public statement of criticism towards government controls and protest more difficult. Therefore, artists become a voice for many of the complaints and the individual that against the Cubans dictatorship. Films, paintings, songs, poems, plays, dance pieces etc. have been a source of critique throughout the early years of the Revolution. In this way the painters allow citizens to have another way to reflect on their existence and vice to back up their ideas that bind them to the Revolution. Artworks during this time mainly focus on simple images to convey complex messages. Artists during this time, often relate their artworks with political analysis and cultural identity to renown for their technical ability and power.
TuesdayAug 18 at 6:03pm
As a result of the Cuban Revolution, the US embargo was inflicted upon Cuba. As a result, the isolated island of Cuba became cut off from Western Influence, thus it developed its own distinct culture. This cultural movement was also in part due to the adoption of Communist ideals, which many people bought into, since they saw it as a solution for inequalities between classes, just like the Mexican Revolution. This cultural movement affected music, art, clothing, and even car production.
Art has always been a central part in Cuban Culture. However, in the past, working and living conditions for these artists was not at reasonable standards. Under Fidel Castro, Free, public art schools and cultural centers were opened as a way for Castro to use artwork as a political tool to spread social ideals. Unfortunately, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba was no longer able to receive Russian subsidies. After this, Cuban art culture took a turn for the best.
In order to look for economic relief elsewhere, Castro turned to tourism and US money. As a result, all different types of art forms increased and developed rapidly, to both increase tourism revenue as well as international sales. For Cuban artists, this was the first time that international revenue was even an option. As a result, the living and working conditions of artists drastically improved, and a wealthier social class emerged. A good example of this is Los Carpinteros, who create sculptures, drawings, and paintings. Before this artistic movement happened, Los Carpinteros struggled to make ends meet and to survive. After the revolution, they found themselves among the wealthiest groups in Cuba and receiving certain travelling benefits that others did not have.
