Complicated Beauty: Contemporary Cuban Art 

Tampa Museum of Art 

October 8, 2016 - January 22, 2017

Complicated Beauty is the Tampa Museum of Art’s first survey of contemporary Cuban art from the 1970s to the present. Inspired by the City of Tampa’s historical connections with Havana and the reopening of relations between the United States and Cuba, this exhibition highlights several of Cuba’s most influential artists. With 40 works on view by over 25 artists, this exhibition is a cross-generational look at recent trends in Cuban art. Although the art in Complicated Beauty spans four decades, the artists address several similar themes related to Cuban identity and the island nation’s complex history. Many of the artists explore the effects of the Revolution, isolation, and barriers, yet celebrate the natural beauty and diversity of Cuba. Themes related to escape and water reappear in many of the works on view.

Artists featured in Complicated Beauty include: Belkis Ayón, Abel Barroso, José Bedia, Tania Bruguera, Maria Martinez Cañas, Los Carpinteros, Yoan Capote, Humberto Díaz, Carlos Garaicoa, Lázaro Saavedra, María Elena González, Quisqueya Henriquez, KCHO, Glenda León, Reynier Leyva Novo, Ana Mendieta, Ibrahim Miranda, Pedro Pablo Oliva, Mabel Poblet, Eduardo Ponjuán, Wifredo Prieto, Diana Fonseca Quiñones, Sandra Ramos, Esterio Segura, and José A. Toirac.