CAMAGÜEY.- Peruvian artist Sonia Cunliffe will undertake a unique project at the 15th Havana Biennial, inspired by Cuba’s mobile cinema tradition. She will use an old truck, carefully preserved by its driver, a humble man from the town of Lugareño in Camagüey.
With the concept of moving art, both literally and metaphorically, she will delve into the community with her work Operación Peter Pan – de ausencia en ausencia (Peter Pan Operation - From Absence to Absence), in which she addresses the separation of families when Cuban parents, misled by fake news, sent their children far away from the country.
Speaking about her vision and the historical context of her work, she shared with Adelante Digital her concern about the effects of fake news, noting that "they show how far the destruction of one human being by another can go."
The action with the truck will provide a revealing contrast to events from the same 1960s decade: while some parents feared for their children's futures in revolutionary Cuba and sent them abroad, the Revolution was launching cultural and educational initiatives for those who stayed behind.
By stepping outside the typical confines of a museum or gallery, the Peruvian artist aims to create a space for reflection and dialogue on media manipulation and its devastating impact on many families’ lives.
As part of her contribution to the Biennial’s theme “Shared Horizons”, she will document every step of her traveling experience, from meeting the driver, Alberto Sedeño, to her interactions with the public in Havana.
This documentary record will not only cover the screening in Lugareño but also Cunliffe’s engagement with the local people, acting as a bridge between art, historical memory, and the community. For the filming, she is collaborating with Camagüey-based filmmaker Keiter Castillo.
The role of memory in contemporary art has characterized Sonia Cunliffe's career, with a body of work marked by appropriation and the revaluation of photography, research, and archival practices.
The Havana Biennial will take place from November 15th, 2024, to February 28th, 2025. Organized by the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Plastic Arts and the Ministry of Culture, it will celebrate 40 years of history with artists, curators, and audiences.
Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez