This painting is an expression of Wilfredo’s care for his homeland. Even though he lived in Europe after the coup d’etat in 1952, Wilfredo continued to follow news of the struggle of the Cuban people against the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship. He heard about the failure of the oppositional act led by Fidel Castro in 1955 and the arrest of Carlos Franqui, a colleague of his who had written an introduction for one of his exhibition catalogues. With an invitation from Carlos, Wilfredo attended the May 1st celebrations at the Plaza of the Revolution in1963 in Cuba. At that time Carlos had become the Minister for Culture. As a nation which had just passed through various changes in government, the Cuban government clearly wanted its identity to be celebrated and recognised by other nations. At the same time, Wilfredo’s works were frequently being discussed in the arts scene in New York and Paris. So, as a figure who represented Cuba on the world stage, Wilfredo was given an award as a national hero and artist.

 

About the Artist

Wifredo Lam explores, through his canvases, his political identity and that of people he meets. His artistic journey reflects that of his life. After graduating from arts school in Havana, Cuba, he gained a scholarship to study in Madrid, after which he went to Paris. Throughout his journeys, he met with people from Africa, Oceania and South America and learned about their traditions. As a migrant, whose father is Chinese and mother Afro-Cuban, he is able to empathise with them. These encounters provide stimulus for his artistic practice.