The-Merger, Mabel Poblet and Lisandra Ramirez

The-Merger, Mabel Poblet and Lisandra Ramirez 

Contemporary Cuban Artists on Exhibit in Key West

The Studios of Key West

April 6-27, 2017

KEY WEST, Florida Keys

Several of Cuba’s leading contemporary artists will exhibit their work in Key West in April thanks to an ongoing cultural exchange that began three years ago. In a continuation of a project titled “One Race, The Human Race,” The-Merger, Mabel Poblet and Lisandra Ramirez will travel to the island for a group exhibition at The Studios of Key West. The public is invited to meet the artists at an opening reception Thursday, Apr. 6, 6-8 p.m. The exhibition remains on view through Apr. 27.

The-Merger is a contemporary collective made up of Cuban artists Alain Pino Hernandez, Mario Miguel González Fernández, and Niels Molerio Luis. Their gleaming sculptures and playful collaborations set the tone for much of Cuba’s white hot art scene. They’re joined here by members of the next generation of Cuban artists, Mabel Poblet and Lisandra Ramirez, friends from the famed Institute of Art. Poblet and Ramirez were recently reunited for an exhibition at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington, DC.

In 2014, “One Race, The Human Race” was set in motion. The landmark cultural exchange — thought to be the first of its kind in 50 years — began with the debut of an exhibition of intaglio prints by the late Key West folk artist Mario Sanchez at Cuba’s Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana. Cuba reciprocated by sending some of their finest contemporary artists to Key West for a series of exhibitions and events around the island. The project was made possible through a partnership between The Studios, Gallery on Greene, and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

Since then, a robust exchange of art, artists, and ideas has continued between Key West and Cuba, and a highlight of the cultural dialogue has been the opportunity for several Cuban artists to spend time in residence at The Studios of Key West.

“The-Merger, Mabel Poblet and Lisandra Ramirez are all innovative artists and rising stars in a small country with 24,000 registered artists,” says Jed Dodds, Executive Director of The Studios. “Cuba has been an artistic powerhouse for hundreds of years and these artists demonstrate the reason why.”

The exhibition’s artists have already made quite a mark on the international art world.

The-Merger is a collaboration group formed by the Cuban artists Alain Pino, Niels Moleiro, and Mario Miguel Gonzalez (Mayito). An auction powerhouse, the collective of sculptors works in stainless steel, Plexiglas, neon and other materials to produce out sized objects with a biting satirical edge. They have participated in numerous international art fairs including SCOPE Basel in Switzerland, the Latin American art Fair in Miami and the Shanghai art Fair in China.

Mabel Poblet is one of the most sought-after young artists to emerge from the contemporary Cuban art scene. This year, she will participate in the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. Best known for her luminous, unclothed self portraits, she is also recognized for her evocative performances. Classically trained, Poblet works in a variety of mediums including photography, paint, kinetic installations, performance, and graphics.

Lisandra Ramírez graduated from both La Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro and the Instituto Superior de Artes. She’s had many shows in both the US and Cuba, and her work, which is on the cutting edge of Cuban pop, explores themes of isolation— both self-induced and imposed. Though she takes aesthetic inspiration from mass produced Japanese cartoons and animated figures, her work has a distinctly personal touch.

The public is invited to the opening reception to meet the artists on Thursday, Apr. 6 from 6-8 p.m. The exhibition continues through Apr 27. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm, and by appointment. The Studios of Key West is located at 533 Eaton Street.

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