In late eighteenth-century Havana, residents frequently referred to the existence of large communities of negros and pardos as 'officers in the trade of painter' and the authors of 'exquisite works.' But who are these artists, and where can we find their works? What sort of works did they produce? Where were they trained, and how did they master their crafts with such perfection? By centering the artistic production and social worlds of artists of African descent in Cuba since the colonial period, this revisionist history of Cuban art provides compelling answers to these questions. Carefully researched and cogently argued, the book explores the gendered racial biases that have informed the constitution of the Cuban art canon; exposes how the ideologues of the slave owning planter class institutionalized the association between 'fine arts' and key attributes of whiteness; and examines how this association continues to shape art historical narratives in Cuba.
‘My Own Past brings to light the contributions of artists of African descent in Cuba from the sixteenth century to the present. Thought-provoking and groundbreaking, this unprecedented book helps foster the emerging field of Afro-Latin American art.’
Roberto Conduru - Endowed Distinguished Professor of Art History, Southern Methodist University
‘Rigorously researched and comprehensive in scope, this book writes the history of Cuban art anew and will be an essential reference for years to come. It not only reconfigures the terms of dominant narratives on Cuban art; it also offers crucial methodological insights into the relationships between racial formations and art in Latin America.’
Agnes Lugo-Ortiz - The University of Chicago, and co-editor of Slave Portraiture in the Atlantic World
‘Alejandro de La Fuente and Cary Aileen García Yero’s ambitious work constitutes a monumental effort to understand Afro-Cuban contributions to Cuban art. This work explores the key questions of what constitutes Afro-Cuban art, why it is significant, and how it has developed over time. It challenges the traditional framing of people of African descent solely through the lenses of resistance, economic conditions, and racism. Instead, the book highlights Afro-Cuban individuals as active agents of change in the arts. It provides a roadmap linking their transformative impact to various African traditions and ideological needs.’
Barbaro Martinez-Ruiz - Tanner-Opperman Chair of African Art History in Honor of Roy Sieber, Indiana University
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