Havana is reinventing itself as a hipster city. Its deep cultural and artistic roots are becoming more abstract, modern, vibrant. So are its faces. Classic images of the old woman puffing on a cigar in the Plaza Vieja or the driver of an American car are fast being replaced by the faces of influencers, promoters and alternative artists. As Havana’s cultural scene evolves beyond its classic ‘time warp’ stereotype, new startups, art collectives and social projects are emerging in new and exciting ways.
For the last two years I’ve been working as a promoter for a bar that hosts alternative parties for an art collective. I was attracted to the idea of promoting their parties because I get to socialize and meet new people – it’s the true magic of this job. The concept of the parties is kind of crazy – but in a good way. They are really underground, with no inhibitions and with the audience and energy constantly changing. It’s not the traditional setting or typical music you might expect where you sit and watch others. When you enter this bar, you become part of it. I’m actually a jazz singer and multidisciplinary musician. My dream is to be able to sing jazz with a symphony orchestra and to be discovered by a record label.
I graduated from Bellas Artes de San Alejandro in 2011 and I’ve been working as an artist and visual painter for 8 years. My specialization is expressionism in large formats and oil on canvas. I was commissioned to paint this door to bring colour to the building and improve its appearance. For me, colours give form to your imagination, to something abandoned, damaged or in ruins. One day I want to create a piece that captures my spirituality so that when someone sees it, they feel impacted and inspired. This would mean much more to me than becoming famous.
