A "Privileged" Artist

A "Privileged" Artist / Fernando Dámaso
Posted on March 25, 2016

Fernando Damaso, 15 January 2016 — Personally, I have nothing against
the plastic artist known as "Kcho," be it against his values or his
work–a task I leave for specialists–aside from the fact that his
recurring little boats and oars leave me cold.

The reason for these lines is that "Kcho" seems to have become the
"preferred artist of the kingdom": his paintings, installations and
other works are regularly presented as gifts from the authorities to
foreign and national personalities, as if there were no other national
plastic artists whose works would merit this special treatment.

The fair thing would be for these "official gifts" to be chosen from
among proposals presented for this purpose by different creators, or as
a result of competitions convoked for it–in the latter case, provided
there were enough time and the decision were not made at the last minute.

In any event, it is worrisome that, in the face of this discrimination
against the rest of the plastic artists, neither those affected, nor the
National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), to which they
belong, nor their syndicate, nor the Ministry of Culture, make any
pronouncements on the matter.

Given what has been going on for some time, it would seem that the only
important work being done in Cuba in the plastic arts, and which meets
all the requirements to qualify as an official gift from the
authorities, is that of "Kcho," when in fact the reality is totally
different.

Translated by: Alicia Barraqué Ellison

Source: A "Privileged" Artist / Fernando Dámaso | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/a-privileged-artist-fernando-dmaso/