Chinese Porcelain at the National Museum of Decorative Arts for Lunar New Year

Asia is essential to understanding world history, and its imprint is clearly visible at Cuba’s National Museum of Decorative Arts (MNAD), which holds nearly 3,000 objects of Asian origin. This Thursday, that connection was highlighted with the opening of the exhibition Whispers of Clay: Susurros de Arcilla. Porcelanas Chinas en el alma cubana, a show that celebrates Lunar New Year and deepens the cultural ties between the two nations.

Organized through collaboration between the Embassy of China in Cuba, the National Council for Cultural Heritage, and the Ministry of Culture, the exhibition brings together around fifty pieces that will be on view until April 25, from Tuesday to Saturday, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

This is the third joint initiative between the Chinese diplomatic mission and the museum, which safeguards the most important collection of its kind on the island: 2,379 works from China.

China’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, emphasized that welcoming the Lunar New Year—the most important traditional festival in Chinese culture, inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024—at the MNAD “has become a beautiful tradition that we share every spring with our close friends.”

He also highlighted that the zodiac sign for this cycle, the Horse—symbol of steady progress and perseverance in Chinese culture—reflects his hope that “relations between China and Cuba will remain at the forefront.”

For her part, Sonia Virgen Pérez, president of Cuba’s National Council for Cultural Heritage, underscored the significant legacy and historic contribution of the Chinese community in the country, including its participation in the independence struggles.

Yosvanis Fornaris, director of the MNAD, noted that this type of exhibition enjoys “overwhelming acceptance” among both the Cuban public and Chinese residents on the island, something he attributes to the “high quality of the collection.”

The opening concluded with a cultural performance by a group of Chinese artists.

Written and photos by Rafael Mena Brito

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez