In order to be able to understand the artistic culture of Cuba, you need to understand a little of its history. This is because, in essence, Cuban art is a melting-pot between its original Native American Indian (drawings of which can still be found in caves around the islands) inhabitants, the subsequent Spanish influence, and finally the Afro-Caribbean influence imported with the slaves. All of Cuba’s artistic culture is derived and made-up from these essential ingredients. Added to these quintessential Cuban elements though are latter day French elements that have crept into Cuban art/culture by the French fleeing Haiti.
Music:
Music is a central element in every Cuban’s life, and so what better place to start. Any brief history of Cuban music needs to start with the country’s National Anthem. Cuba’s National Anthem was composed by Perucho Figueredo in 1869 (20 October) moments before the city of Bayamo (his place of birth) was to be set alight by the rebels (during the First War of Independence) to keep the city from falling into the hands of the oncoming conquering Spanish.
However, largely as a result of its yoruba, congos and bantu African heritage, modern Cuban music, which is the envy of the world, can be traced back to the days when the slaves and their masters worked the sugar plantations. This is not to say, however, that other influences on Cuban music have not been strong. For example: the Habanera is derived from the Argentina tango. And other Latin American styles of music have mixed well with Cuban music.
One of the strongest influences on Cuban music has been the city of Santiago de Cuba, where the bolero and son were first played. Following this, from the 1920s onwards, was when the heydays of Cuban music were to arrive, when such classics as the Matamoros trio first played (1920s), “La Sensacion” (1940s); and Enrique Jorrin composed the fist cha cha cha “La Enganadora” (1950s). Jorrin’s cha cha cha was, though, soon to be quickly followed by Perez Prado’s first Mambo (1952), and by the 1980s it was the turn of Salsa (although, arguably, this can be traced back to the influence of Benny More in the 1970s). The 1990s became the turn of the “Van Van” and the “NG la Banda”.
So, by the turn of the century, Latin American music, and in particular Cuban music, had a rich-vein of history and was in a very health state to be able to continue giving the world, and importantly the Cuban’s themselves, tunes with which to pass the time of day.
Literary works:
The first known “Cuban” piece of literary work was actually written by a Spaniard – Silvestre de Balboa – and is entitled El espejo (Mirror of Patience). De Balboa’s place as Cuba’s pre-emanate literary writer was to later be taken by another man of Spanish decent, Pena de Don Domingo Monte. Poets of that genera include Julian del Casal, Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, Crisobal Napoles Fajardo, Felix Varela. But, quite possibly the most famous of all Cuban writers is Jose Marti. Marti was an extremely talented individual and wrote as a poet, novelist, journalist, and philosopher. In his spare time he managed to become well-known for both his oratory and his legal skills (interchangeable really!). Mari’s most famous piece of work is entilted “Our America”, wherein he sets out the entire problem of the New World. Modern-day famous Cuban writers include: Virgilio Pinera and Jose Ledezma. One of the most famous, if not the most famous, Cuban poets of the Twentieth Century was Dulce Maria Loinas. And finally, the national poet – Nicolas Guillen
Painting:
Famous Cuban painters include Victor Patricio de Landuce and Leopoldo Romaniach. Modern-day famous Cuban painters include: Wilfredo Lam, Carlos Enriquez, Rene Portocarrero, Marcelo Pogolotti, Alejo Carpentier, and Amelia Pelaez.
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