In the Mind's Eye / La Mirada de Quien Contempla - Amy Galpin - Bog

A ground-breaking exploration of the Cuban landscape in the imagination of American and Cuban artists, 'In the Mind's Eye' opens new avenues of inquiry about the Caribbean island which has played an outsized role in global politics, economics and culture. For centuries an Edenic image of fantasy and escapism has been projected onto Cuba by observers from North America and Europe; until recent times, the harsh historical and contemporary realities of servitude, racial strife and environmental degradation rarely coloured artists' portrayal of the country. 'In the Mind's Eye' tells many stories about Cuba that reflect the island's significance, both as the place from which Cubans fled, and a destination to which Americans flocked. 19th-century American artists William Glackens, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer and Willard Metcalf are featured alongside contemporary artists including Juan Carlos Alom, Marâia Magdalena Campos-Pons and Juana Valdâes. Two new interviews with artists Juana Valdâes and Carlos Martiel conducted by Donette Francis and Elvia Rosa Castro highlight the importance of contemporary Cuban art.