january - march 2004	bistart 11
The Havana Biennial by Esteban Drincovich			Nicola Costantino, Argentina, Cajas, 2000, Madera y silicona Jorge Orta, Argentina. Alejandro Díaz, The Goya Series, Estados Unidos.
A biennial is meant to present, every two years - such as its name indicates-an exhibit of the most recent art, generally distributed in national sections. The aim is to show new works of contemporary art. The criticism to this type of exhibit can be summarized with a popular saying: if you try to grasp all, you'll lose most. The most important Biennials (Venice), San Pablo and now, Havana - have 'boasted' a number of spaces and works impossible to group together, both for the audience as well as for the organizers. The organizers of these events should consider the lack of time and resources, especially in the case of Havana. According to official data, for the first time, different organizations have collaborated and this is not only as a result of the budget allocated by the Cuban government, although many artists have collaborated in different ways only because of their affinity with the regime. Another aspect deserving criticism is the Biennial's commercial character and its political implications, which destroyed its spiritual nature. With the passing of the editions, the Havana Biennial has lost its original essence dedicated to Latin American, Caribbean, Asian and African culture and has broadened its scope; especially since the 5th edition (1994). It no longer focuses on presenting works from Third World countries, which is why many visitors considered the last Biennial was 'a pile of works', pointing out that it has lost sight of its mission. It is important to take into account that considerable amounts of money enter Cuba when an event of such magnitude is held, especially because of the lack of financial collaboration from the State. According to official statements, the budget allocated for the Biennial was 156,000 dollars, obviously not including 'donations' from artists, foundations and other organizations. The income from tourism for the State (tickets, transportation of works, lodging, food) is much higher than this amount. The Havana Biennial was held for the first time in 1984. What other interests are behind it?; to attract tourism and dollars?, what happens to the Cubans?, is it only for tourists who are able to spend their dollars on the island?, does this cultural event in Cuba present contradictions?, have any artists been excluded?, what about the Cuban artists who have been exiled and are living elsewhere?. These are some of the questions that are addressed in different newspaper articles and are answered from different perspectives and points of view, mixing politics and art. Carmen Giménez explains that the exhibits are part of a social phenomenon associating it to what has been called 'the democratization of culture'. The economic and political situation on the island also definitely affect the organization of the Biennial, this is evident from the fact that it cannot be held every two years, but rather every three years, as is the case of the third edition (1989), the fifth edition (1994), the sixth edition (1997), the seventh edition (2000) and, of course, the eighth (2003). Which is why it could very well be called a Triennial instead of a Biennial. In this Biennial the theme was 'Art with life', this was the spirit intended by the organizers. Thus, there is an infinitive number of manifestations artists can present given the material and spiritual conditions surrounding us. One of the participants from Argentina, Nicola Constantino, in one of the silicone nonexistants presented, displayed an excellent reflection of the times, not only in regards to the culinary culture but also to the type of politics, particularly in countries considered Third World. We can use words such as annihilation, suppression, among others. In relation to this reflection, it is interesting to observe a piece by this artist that appears on the cover of a book by Paul Virilio (The silence procedure), who makes an interesting analysis of contemporary life. Other participants from Argentina were Edgardo Madanes and his observations of the Paraná River delta; Jorge Orta and his idea of changing the world and life; Silvia Rivas, wife of a top official of the controversial administration of former President De la Rua; aesthetics in various textures by Gabriel Carlos Valansi; and, La Estampa, a workshop for the art of engraving, project initiated in federal prisons (the Servicio Penitenciario Federal [Federal Penitentiary Service] and the Instituto Correccional de Mujeres de Ezeiza [Ezeiza Women's Correctional Facility]) in 2000. It is evident that this Biennial has as many admirers as detractors. It seems difficult to separate the political aspect from the cultural, perhaps this dichotomy is what makes it charming. We cannot forget to point out that being held in Havana it is a small part of a larger display of color, music and aromas.

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