Monday, July 4, 2011

Art Review: Cuban Yank Tanks at the Children's Gallery

Auto Art #11 ©Willy Argüelles, Sculpture - Mixed Media
35" x 14" x 11"

Dealer 2015 ©Yolyanko Argüelles (Yoyo), acrylics on panel
24" x 34"

A Red 1954 ©Carlos E. Franco, Oil on Canvas
39" x 29"

Carrying Small Things ©Julio Figueroa Beltran, Acrylics on Canvas
36" x 49.5"
Untitled (Future Gang Car) ©Cesar Beltán, Acrylics on Canvas
46" x 78"
This art exhibit is summed up by the artists' statement written by Cesar Beltrán displayed in the exhibit:

CYT - Cuban Yank Tanks is a collective art show that comprises the works of five emerging and mid-career artists about the existence of American cars in Cuba. Through the last fifty years, the classic American car has become not only a symbol of a vital and cultural resilience of the Cuban people against adversity but also perhaps the only and strongest reminder of the American presence in the daily life of the Island. 

The artists represented in this art exhibit are Willy Argüelles, Cesar Beltrán, Julio Figueroa Beltran, Carlos Franco, and Yolanko (Yoyo) Argüelles. Each one interprets the American cars with one thing in common: emotion. Every piece in the exhibit is a cause for discussion because one sculpture is tortured, another is matter-of-fact, one painting is fanciful while another is subtly threatening.  

The paintings are fun and fanciful with many interpretations, but perhaps only for me, as a Cuban American who has only seen photos and heard stories about Cuba. For three generations of Cubans, the rift between Cuba and the U.S.A. is geographical, political, cultural, and technological. 

When you view these fantastical paintings and superb sculptures, remember that we are free in the U.S.A. to express ourselves. Remember those who fight for our freedoms, and remember those who have no voice. 

Happy Birthday, United States of America! Happy Independence Day!

The exhibit is at the Children's Gallery and Art Center from June 25th through July 20th, 2011. The gallery is at 51 North Krome Avenue, Homestead, Florida and can reached through their website http://thechildrensgallery.community.officelive.com/default.aspx  and at 305.224.9386.   

This is a review of the exhibit Cuban Yank Tanks. To view more of the art exhibit, please visit the Children's Gallery and Art Center, as there are so many wonderful pieces that it was impossible to include all of them in this blog post. The opinions and views of this review belong to Angeline and solely express her opinions.

Save the date! You are invited to share more art on Saturday, August 20th, at the Children's Gallery and Art Center!
Remember, too, to explore Paris, France with me during my Fridays in France posts which began Friday, May 6th. Interested in original art from Paris? Check out my Send Paris to You Project!

Smiles!!!!
Angeline Marie of

2 comments:

JJ said...

Wow. I love the cars. I checked out the websites. Fantastic.

Angeline said...

I love the cars, too. Who'd've thunk it: Yank Tanks!

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