Post-it 11 Jury Announces Selected Works for Exhibition-Competition

The Post-it Contemporary Cuban Art Competition, a pivotal platform for highlighting young Cuban talent, has revealed the 17 works that will compete in its 11th edition.

The jury, led by curator and art critic Darys Vázquez Aguiar; curator and gallery owner Maybel Elena Martínez of Collage Habana; Duniesky Martin, artist and Head of the Visual Creation Department at the Faculty of Visual Arts, University of the Arts of Cuba (ISA); Yamil Orlando, the Second Prize winner of Post-it 10; and Camila López, curator and researcher at the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center (CACC), reviewed 94 submissions from young artists across nearly all provinces of the country.

The panel praised the diversity of submissions but also highlighted certain trends and challenges currently facing contemporary Cuban art, according to a press release from the Collage Habana Art Galleries, part of the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets.

The selected works encompass a range of mediums—including video art, photography, sculpture, installation, and drawing—demonstrating the vibrancy and variety of artistic expression among the new generation. However, the jury also noted a disconnect between some conceptual ideas and their execution, as well as a lack of critical engagement with aesthetic references. They also pointed out a certain superficiality in some conceptual proposals.

Despite these remarks, the jury noted an encouraging increase in video art submissions, reflecting a continuous search for new forms of expression by young artists.

As per the competition rules, the selection process was conducted virtually. The chosen works are considered preselected; therefore, if substantial changes are observed between the proposed project and the final piece that compromise its quality, the work may be excluded from the competition.

The exhibition-competition, set to open on September 20 at Galería Galiano, will provide the public with an opportunity to engage with innovative works from Cuba’s contemporary art scene.

Post-it is an annual contemporary Cuban art competition organized by Collage Habana Art Galleries, part of the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets. Since its inception, the event has become a vital platform for showcasing and promoting the work of Cuban artists under 35.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez