Collage Habana Gallery Opens Anthological Exhibition: Agustín Drake Las Cosas

The Collage Habana Gallery, part of the Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets, inaugurated on Thursday, December 11, the anthological exhibition Agustín Drake Las Cosas.

This significant exhibition takes place within the framework of the 27th International Handicraft Fair, Fiart 2025, held at the Estación Cultural Línea y 18 from December 6 to 21, with this edition dedicated to the province of Matanzas.

The exhibition offers a comprehensive approach to the life and work of Agustín Drake (Matanzas, 1934 – 2022), an artist dedicated to a unique vision of art and life. His name is indispensable in any analysis of island sculpture, both in its academic and experimental dimensions, according to the gallery’s press release.

Agustín Drake Las Cosas brings together works from various series created over more than four decades. The selection allows viewers to appreciate the evolution and versatility of his production, from works in metal, wood, and ceramics, to his renowned assemblages and doors—pieces that mark a milestone in his career.

With a long trajectory beginning in his native Matanzas in the 1940s, Drake established a significant sculptural oeuvre by the 1950s, with works installed in public spaces and featured in numerous exhibitions between Havana and Matanzas. The authenticity of his creation reached new heights in later decades, when he began incorporating waste materials and discarded objects into his assemblages organically. This practice solidified his reputation as one of the most original and daring artists in contemporary Cuban sculpture.

The opening featured two special events: a fashion show of the handcrafted collection Intimidad Ofrendada by the renowned Matanzas designer Juan Carlos Jiménez Huerta, and the presentation of the catalog Agustín Drake, a co-publication of Collage Ediciones and Arte Cubano Ediciones, which complements and documents the exhibition.

Both the exhibition and the catalog converge in a dual tribute: to the province of Matanzas, honored in this edition of the fair, and to Agustín Drake, its quintessential artist, offering a memorable encounter between his legacy and the public.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez