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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”103502″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]Award-winning Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara donned flamboyant carnival attire as he unleashed his character Miss Bienal upon an unsuspecting Trafalgar Square on 26 October to protest against Decree 349, a law which threatens artistic expression in Cuba.
Expressing his surprise at being allowed to demonstrate in a public area without interference from authorities, he said: “People stop and stare, you know, but police don’t arrest me. It is strange because this wouldn’t happen in Cuba.”
Previously Alcántara was arrested for organising a concert against Decree 349, alongside Yanelyz Nuñez Leyva. If imposed on December 1, the law will see Cuba’s Ministry of Culture gain more power to censor art, issue fines and confiscate materials.
His character, Miss Bienal, takes inspiration from dancers of the famous Tropicana Cabaret and cliches about Cuba. He plans to perform as Miss Bienal around the world, and could recently be found parading the streets of Madrid.
Sue Bingham, country coordinator for Cuba at Amnesty International, was on hand to show her support. She said: “It’s important for the Cuban artists to be here today in Trafalgar Square because this is such an iconic place in London and they wanted to make sure that they bring their message to the very heart of the UK.”
Alcántara and Nuñez run the Museum of Dissidence, a public art project celebrating dissent in Cuba, and were the recipients of the 2018 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship for Arts. The activists finally received their accolades earlier this month after a seven-month battle to gain entry into the UK. The intimate ceremony was held at Metal arts centre in Chalkwell Hall, Southend.[/vc_column_text][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1540980270804-460204da-ed5a-7″ taxonomies=”23772″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”103471″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a Cuban artist, and co-founder of award-winning Museum of Dissidence will perform in Trafalgar Square on 26 October 2018.
Along with art curator Yanelys Nuñez Leyva, they were hosted in Metal Southend for two weeks in October as part of a collaboration with Index. During their stay, they were presented their Freedom of Expression Award in the Arts category by Index which they could not formally accept in April due to visa refusal by the United Kingdom.
Otero Alcántara will be reproducing an artistic action that he exports to different cities, most recently performed in Madrid. His character, Miss Bienal, was created in 2016 and was present at all of the 2016 Havana Biennial exhibition*. The character intends to symbolise the image of the sensual mulatto woman that every foreigner typifies in clichés for tourist and artistic consumption. Dressed as a dancer from the famous Tropicana Cabaret and distributing business card to as many people as possible, where he had his personal contact details.
Miss Bienal is now visiting London and making the character his personal loudspeaker for the urgent need for artistic free expression in Cuba. Censorship on the island is becoming worse as there is a new decree 349 which will criminalise all cultural production that does not respond to the ideology of the state. Miss Bienal will have the number 349 on her costume and will be informing spectators about the limited freedom of expression in Cuba.
*This performance was part of the Hors-Pistes event: The Spring of Love, curated by Catherine Sicot (Elegoa Cultural Produtions) and Geraldine Gomez (Center Pompidou, Program Hors-Pistes).[/vc_column_text][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1540481508887-a7b0f0ee-6632-9″ taxonomies=”23772″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”102925″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]The UK has overturned a decision to refuse visas to two award-winning Cuban artists who had been invited to take up a two-week artistic residency in Britain.
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Yanelys Nuñez Leyva, winners of this year’s Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards for Arts, were told last month their visa request had been denied — the second refusal this year. The artists had been scheduled to attend Index’s award ceremony in London in April but were denied visas to attend.
Alcántara and Nunez are founders of The Museum of Dissidence, a public art project and website celebrating dissent in Cuba. Set up in 2016, the museum organises radical public art projects and installations, concentrated in the poorer districts of Havana. This year, the two have been granted visas to Argentina, Chile, the Czech Republic, and the United States.
They were called to the UK embassy in Havana on October 2 and told the visa would be granted after all having “reevaluated” their application.
Jodie Ginsberg, Index on Censorship chief executive said: “Fortunately the UK has realised its mistake and reversed what was clearly an unfair decision. Government ministers talk repeatedly of freedom of speech as a key British value so it’s critical the UK demonstrates it in practice. Denying visas to artists who have faced oppression in their own countries for speaking out simply emboldens the oppressor.”
Last month, Cuban authorities arrested Nuñez and Alcantara for their role in organising a concert against Decree 349, a vague law that will give the government more control over the display and exchange of art. The law, due to come into force on 1 December 2018, gives the Ministry of Culture increased power to censor, issue fines and confiscate materials for work of which they do not approve. The pair were beaten during their detention.
It was the second arrest in three weeks for Alcantara in relation to Decree 349.
Nunez and Alcantara – will now be able to take up most of their planned two-week residency in Southend with Metal, an organisation that champions artistic innovation and provides practical support to artists, as well as receive in person their Freedom of Expression Award.
Colette Bailey, CEO and Artistic Director of Metal, said: “Metal are absolutely delighted that the decision not to allow Nunez and Alcantara to visit the UK as part of an artistic exchange has been overturned. We are very excited to welcome them in the coming weeks to Southend on Sea as part of our International Artists in Residence programme and are now busy preparing for their stay during which they will meet our local and regional artistic communities.”
Nunez and Alcantara were originally refused their visas on the grounds of insufficient evidence they would be able to support themselves financially during their stay.
“We had provided ample evidence of the support they would receive and that Index would stand as guarantor,” said Index on Censorship’s fellowships and advocacy officer Perla Hinojosa. “We have run our awards for nearly 20 years and never had any of our winners overstay or breach their visa terms. We’re so pleased the UK recognised how important it is to be able to welcome groups like the Museum of Dissidence to the UK.”
In August, directors of some of Britain’s biggest festivals signed a letter calling for the government to make its “overly complex” visa application process more transparent, after a surge in refusals and complications for authors, artists and musicians invited to perform in the UK.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1538647532051-bd795fb1-e996-5″ taxonomies=”23707″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/-UpVto-2Sf0″][vc_column_text]The UK has refused visas for a second time to two award-winning Cuban artists who had been invited to take up a two-week artistic residency.
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Yanelys Nuñez Leyva, winners of this year’s Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards for Arts, had also been due to collect their award. They had been scheduled to receive their honour in April at the Index award ceremony in London but were denied visas to attend.
“We had hoped that – having been recognised with this award, and given the fact Luis Manuel and Yanelys have been granted visas to Argentina, Chile, the Czech Republic, and the United States this year – the UK government would give them the opportunity to visit the UK,” said Index on Censorship Fellowships and Advocacy Officer Perla Hinojosa.
Alcántara and Nunez are founders of The Museum of Dissidence, a public art project and website celebrating dissent in Cuba. Set up in 2016, the museum organises radical public art projects and installations, concentrated in the poorer districts of Havana.
Last month, Cuban authorities arrested Nuñez and Alcantara for their role in organising a concert against Decree 349, a vague law that will give the government more control over the display and exchange of art. The law, due to come into force on 1 December 2018, gives the Ministry of Culture increased power to censor, issue fines and confiscate materials for work of which they do not approve. The pair were beaten during their detention.
It was the second arrest in three weeks for Alcantara in relation to Decree 349.
“The UK makes much of its support for freedom of expression,” said Index on Censorship chief executive Jodie Ginsberg. “But while it talks the talk, it fails to walk the walk. Denying visas to artists who have faced oppression in their own countries for speaking out simply emboldens the oppressor.”
In August, directors of some of Britain’s biggest festivals signed a letter calling for the government to make its “overly complex” visa application process more transparent, after a surge in refusals and complications for authors, artists and musicians invited to perform in the UK.
Signatories of the letter included Nick Barley, the director of Edinburgh international book festival, and Chris Smith, the director of Womad after both went public with their festivals’ attempts to get visas for authors and musicians.
Yana Peel, CEO of the Serpentine Galleries and a judge of this year’s Freedom of Expression Awards said: “This is extremely disappointing news. Artists from overseas are being unfairly treated by the current visa system and it is beginning to have a significant impact on our programmes and events. In today’s climate, it is especially important that artists coming to Britain know that they are welcome.”
Nunez and Alcantara – who had been due to take up a two-week residency with Metal in Southend – were refused their visas on the grounds of insufficient evidence they would be able to support themselves financially during their stay.
“That’s nonsense,” said Hinojosa. “We provided ample evidence of the support they would receive and that Index would stand as guarantor. We have run our awards for nearly 20 years and never had any of our winners overstay or breach their visa terms.”
Colette Bailey, CEO and Artistic Director of Metal, said: “We are incredibly disappointed not to be welcoming Nunez and Alcantara to the UK as part of our International Artists in Residence programme. Our artists in residence programme is a platform for the exchange of ideas, culture and knowledge between artists from around the world and our local communities and young people. It is activity like this that contributes to the creativity of Britain, across sectors, and our enviable reputation as a creative powerhouse. This refusal is part of a worrying trend that cannot go unchallenged.”
In 2016, Index complained to UK authorities after UK border officials confiscated the passport of Syrian journalist, Zaina Erhaim who had been invited in her capacity as that year’s winner of the Freedom of Expression Award for journalism to speak at an event alongside veteran journalist Kate Adie.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”12″ style=”load-more” items_per_page=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1537976994705-c0f32970-0b8a-0″ taxonomies=”23772″][/vc_column][/vc_row]