And Now..... by wysiwig
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Description
Statues!
Havana is a city of statues. Almost every park or public square has at least one. They cover the city's history from colonial times to the liberation from Spain and into the Castro revolution. They even have modern art. So here are three examples just to give you a taste.
The lady with the mournful expression is known as La Virgen de la Nieves or The Virgin of the Snows. She was discovered during the excavation of a foundation for a new building. No one knows who made her or why she was buried but she is from the early colonial period of Cuba.
The Cuban people had been in revolt against Spain when the United States invaded the island in 1898. The United States military and the Cuban rebels defeated the Spanish. It is significant that peace talks were held between the U.S. and Spain. The Cubans were not included. In 1903 Cuba was given its independence by the United States. Sort of. Cuba would remain under the thumb of the Norte Americanos until the Castro revolution. The distinguished gentleman with the pigeon on his head is Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, the first president of sort of independent Cuba. Nice to see that pigeons the world over have no respect for famous people.
Socialist Realism is in short supply on the island but there is a thriving arts culture there. The fancy gold sculpture is titled "The Conversation" by the French born Abstract/Symbolist sculptor Étienne Pirot.
http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2013/11/Etienne-Pirot.html
Comments (8)
Cyve
Love these sculptures... Marvelous capture also !!!
ArtistKimberly
Beautiful photos.
durleybeachbum
Love the Pirot! All very interesting !
anahata.c
I love your selections, and your anecdotal history. As you know history, you have to marvel at the mixed message of our interference in other country's affairs: We come to liberate, but we want to take over---either physically or economically. So when the negotiations take place, we don't even included the people who we came to help. Realpolitik...And there's something wildly ironic about Cespedes with a pigeon on his head---boy did you get a great moment with that. And I assume the soiling on him is pigeon droppings. (Pigeon art, as we used to call it.) Love the juxtaposition. Le Virgen looks like a museum piece, from her surroundings; but in any case you caught her with fine detail on her decay, which makes her all the more poignant. And you finish off the trio with that modern Étienne sculpture, which I love. Never seen it, and i know nothing about Pirot. But in addition to being a wonderfully abstract, bright sculpture, you caught it well-composed with the high rib of the building right between the two 'conversationalists', and a guy in the background (who makes for a great street shot). A wonderful trio of shots; and your narrative is revealing and pointed as always.
kgb224
Superb captures my friend. God bless.
Faemike55
Wonderful selection of art! of the three, the Pirot art is the eye-catching piece whereas the statue of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes has a touch of irony with the politician being shat upon by the pigeon ( a feeling that most people feel needs to be spread) thanks for sharing
MrsRatbag
What Mark said! I think we'll have to designate him the spokescommenter here, he always knows the right stuff to say, and he always says what I would say if I'd thought of it. Excellent shots all!
auntietk
I love these shots, but especially the Etienne. I'm an unregenerate modernist at heart, and his work is absolutely spectacular. Thanks for the link!