• Submitted by: Rafa Faridis
• Arts and Culture
• Photography
• 10 / 15 / 2014

---

Of crowded, heterogeneous and one of a kind, could be categorized the opening of the collective photographic exhibition "F Meninas", which took place on October 14 at the Casa Victor Hugo, space for French culture in Cuba, in the framework of the second edition of the Festival "Ellas crean" (“Women create”).

With a suggestive name, the purpose of this exhibition was to pay homage to the female figure behind artistic production, also to get together in one space creative young women, representatives of the best contemporary photography, to speak at around their status as women in Cuban society. Therefore it is one suitable event for the Festival "Ellas crean" Cuba 2014, which for the second consecutive year arrives at Havana giving a place for female creation that will reign again in different areas of the city, showing that women CREATE, in capital letters - as Juan Francisco Montalbán, Ambassador of Spain in Cuba said- this is the feast of art, of culture, of creation, and is another step in the long road to recognition of the rights of women to create, every day, their own reality.

Cityscapes, and portraits that touch Cuban everydayness from the very particular views of each of these girls in different formats, both black and white, and color, were the most remarkable features that characterized the aesthetics of the group show, which will be exposed until late November because it will be also part of the event "Photographic November " organized by the Photolibrary of Cuba (Fototeca de Cuba).

The protagonists of the meeting were the photographers Amarilis Alemán, Maribel Amador, Lourdes Bermudez, Wanda Canals, Lismary del Prado, Laura D'Milán, Danay González, Sonia Raismary and Diamett Mirabal, young women that were forged in “El Taller” ("The Workshop"), project / group mentored by the well-known Cuban photographer Pedro Abascal, and in coordination with the Embassy of Spain, the Office of the City Historian (OHCH) and the Photolibrary of Cuba.

The Casa Víctor Hugo, which promotes the learning of French language and culture, and has a library, reading rooms, French regional heritage rooms, and a contemporary art gallery, became the epicenter of the Festival "Ellas crean" in its past year, and this year, in addition to the photo exhibition, offers conferences and discussions about Gender and Society, it seeks to achieve greater multiplier effect and greater significance among participants.

As a woman, - as Lismary del Prado, photographer, curator and director of the Casa Victor Hugo, said- this Festival seems like a good opportunity to learn much more about gender issues that doesn’t have only to do with feminism, to delve into these theoretical knowledge, the courses, debates, discussions, and practical, because it shows through a lot of demonstrations all the current Cuban women creation and that is very rewarding for both, the creators and women in general.