Westport, CT -- The Westport Arts Center, at 51 Riverside Avenue, will host an opening reception Friday, April 29, 6-8pm, for a new art show, Two Steps Forward, showcasing contemporary Cuban art from the collection of Terri and Steven Certilman. The show will be on view through June 4. Acquired over more than fifteen years during their travels, the works in the exhibition collectively represent the country's unique artistic talent. The exhibition also marks a historic moment and a transformational phase in the arts and culture of Cuba.
Westport Arts Center Guest Curator Arianne Faber Kolb (formerly of the Getty and the Metropolitan Museum of Art) has assembled a selection of works for the exhibition that explore Cuban identity, its diverse cultural heritage, and the political and economic climate within the context of its historic isolation. In recent years, a new generation of expressive post-revolutionary Cuban artists has explored and conveyed various aspects of their culture through diverse media. Despite political constraints, they communicate what it means to be Cuban on various levels.
Two Steps Forward refers to the current political and artistic climate in Cuba and the thaw in relations with the United States. The lifting of restrictions between the two countries has given artists access to more resources and increased exposure to the rest of the world. However, despite these recent developments, change is slow and economic strains continue for much of the Cuban population. The exhibition title Two Steps Forward makes clear reference to the adage "Two steps forward, one step back" and represents the dichotomy of progress and inertia during this time.