Cuba Oriente Opening Reception

Representing the work of 15 artists from Eastern Cuba, the Clyde Hensley Cuban Museum Exhibition has toured 18 major cities and four different countries as an exhibition from Meridian International. The collection varies from traditionalist to modern paintings and original woodblock prints spanning 1960s through 2000.  This was the longest running exhibition of Cuban art in the United States. Since its opening at Meridian International Center in Washington, DC in November 2003, “Cuba Oriente: Contemporary Painting from Eastern Cuba” has received a tremendous response from the public averaging from 18,000 to 20,000 viewers per location.

Rob Rowen of Naunce Gallery has since acquired the collection and is now exhibiting at Red Door 906. The artwork's subject matter shows the Cuban countryside, streets of the cities, traditional life, and modern expressionism. Several artists have a very strong political social criticism of life in Cuba. Reinaldo Pagán Ávila and Andres Borges Reyes have left Cuba and reside in Europe. Their work's powerful message brought tight scrutiny to their lives and they felt it necessary to leave their homeland.  Three of the artists, Marcos Pavon Estrada, Antonio Ferrer Cabello, and Jose Aguilera Vincente have passed away.