814 SW First Avenue
 Portland
 Oregon 97204

phone: (503) 224 4020  

george@broderickgallery.com  

September / October 2003

Cuba Viene A Portland

A Show of Artwork by Artists Living in Cuba

Preview Opening - September 3rd 5-7 pm

First Thursday -  September  4th   6 - 9 pm.   

Gallery hours are Tuesday through
Saturday, 11-6 and by appointment.

This is an unusual show in that this is the first time Cuban artists living in Cuba have been invited to show in Portland. Of the four artists Eduardo Labrada Acuna and Ernesto Gonzalez Pumariega are very successful, established, and well respected. Juan Carlos Pozo and Osmeivy Ortega Pacheco are newer, up and coming painters, still incredibly talented. All four artists attended San Alejandro Academy (the national School of Art), the oldest and most prestigious art school in Cuba.

Eduardo was born Cuba in 1967 in the rural province of Granma in eastern Cuba not far from Guatanamo and Santiago. He graduated from the San Alejandro Academy in Havanna in 1993. He is a painter of beautiful, rural Cuban landscapes. Clean lines and pure vibrant color capture the essence of rural Cuba. He has shown his work successfully throughout Cuba and Florida, and recently sold out a solo exhibit in Miami. His pieces are held in private collections in Cuba, USA, Spain, Italy, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

Ernesto Pumariega was born in Havana in 1960. Like Eduardo, he is also a graduate of the San Alejandro Academy, 1986, where he studied painting and drawing. Ernesto has an interest in painting the old and the quaint in an imaginative and playful style all his own. He has shown his work in Cuba, Spain, Italy, and many private collections in England, Canada, USA, Spain, Italy, France, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba also hold his work.

Juan Carlos (born 1974) and Osmeivy (born 1980) are both graduates of the San Alejandro Academy and have begun to attract attention as emerging artists. It has been difficult for them to acquire painting supplies; Juan worked with only one brush for a time. Subsequently a substantial supply of paints and brushes has been sent to them.
Every effort is being made for Eduardo and Ernesto to attend the opening of this show.

This show will provide the Portland arts community an opportunity to become acquainted with the Cuban art movement and also the Cuban community of Portland. When most people think of Cuba, images of cigars, food, music, and dance come to mind, but little attention has been directed toward Cuban painting. This show will provide an opportunity for those interested in Cuban art and culture to expand their knowledge.

The owner of the Broderick Gallery, George Broderick, went to Cuba this past February on a cultural visa. He found the Island's lush landscapes, quaint towns, and charming people immensely interesting. He was fortunate to visit the homes of numerous artists and with the help of a translator was able to express his desire to show their work in Portland. Cuban friends here in Portland have been of great assistance in communicating and facilitating preparations for the show.