By Allison Firestone
Tri Valley Magazine, January/February 2008 Issue

Tri Valley residents will have a rare chance to see some of the work by several of Cuba’s top contemporary artists beginning this month.

The San Ramon Public Library is hosting the first exhibition and sale of original Cuban art in this area from Jan. 2 -Feb. 28. Called “Contemporary Cuban Art,” the exhibition features more than 30 original works from eight Cuban artists. The artists are: Carlos Alpisar, Eduardo Gonzales Expósito, Hector Frank, Ignacio Merida, Mario Mendes, Moises Ramos, Ernesto Villanueva and Zeus. Painting in a variety of styles from abstract to impressionism to realism, among others.

The show is at the San Ramon Public Library at 100 Montgomery St. in San Ramon and can be viewed during regular business hours. The artwork is available for purchase. Proceeds go to the Cuban artists.

“I think art has to talk to the people who buy it,” said Sam DuVall, president of Izzy’s Steak and Chops in San Ramon, who is co-sponsoring the exhibition. “This art is quick to hit a string in your heart.”

DuVall, an avid art collector, owns more than 100 original Cuban works of art in his personal collection. His interest in art dates back to his first visits to Cuba more than a decade ago, returning with an appreciation for the country’s vibrant art and cuisine. Best known as a restaurateur who opened the popular Cuba-inspired Habana eatery in San Francisco in 2003, DuVall has quietly represented several Cuban artists for years, even operating a gallery for a short time in San Francisco. He’s also hosted small Cuban art soirees for friends in the city and in the Tri Valley.

Because the country has essentially been closed to Americans since the 1961 U.S. ban on trade with and travel to Cuba followed by a break in diplomatic relations, there has been little exposure here to the Arte de Cuba made by artists who live there. In 1991 the non-profit Center for Cuban Studies in New York filed suit against the U.S. Treasury Department, which they won, finally making it legal to import and sell art from Cuba. “The Cuban art market is developing and there aren’t many opportunities to access the artists’ work,” DuVall says.“Many of the paintings include birds, which are free, which I think represents what the Cubans don’t have."

DuVall will be on hand opening night Jan. 2, from 5-8 p.m., to answer questions about the art. There are a handful of web sites to learn more about Cuban art, including www.cubanart.org and www.cubanartspace.net.

THE DETAILS:
SHOW: CONTEMPORARY CUBAN ART
Exhibit Dates:
Jan. 2 – Feb. 28
Opening Reception:
5 – 8 p.m., Jan. 2
Location:
San Ramon Public Library
100 Montgomery St., San Ramon
Library Hours:
Mon. – Thurs. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Fri. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun. 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.