Feel the connection
It is the experience in the place, the observation, what we often lack to feel really connected in a world marked by technology.
Conectar Bahías (Connecting Bays), the event created by Copperbridge Foundation, invites you to an afternoon where we can compare similarities and differences between Cubans and Brazilians through music, dance, visual arts, culinary and ways of living – A creative dialogue based on diversity and common points.
Brazil receives Cuban culture in their home. The hosts on this occasion will be a group of Cubans who will share their experiences with Brazilians through two photography exhibitions, and an open and intimate dialogue that will range from the comparison of culinary and cocktail traditions, to artistic production and the social life of our countries – A visual dialogue, with words, flavors, and sounds.
The event took place at Solar Carmina on November 1st at 5:00pm, a space dedicated to hosting people of different cultures, from different parts of the world, and to the development of projects linked to art, culture, and creativity.
Two Exhibitions to Connect Cultures
by Diana Ferreiro
In November 2018, a group of Cuban artists joined Copperbridge Foundation to connect physically and spiritually with Brazil. Two photographic exhibitions served as a pretext to organize a meeting between cultures, to compare traditions and roots that make us more similar than different: a creative dialogue through visual arts, culinary arts, music and dance.
Conectar Bahías(To Connect Bays) was the name of the project, in which Danay Nápoles and Alejandro Reyes presented two exhibitions: one that showed the impact of Brazilian culture in Cuba from photographs of the practice of Capoeira in Havana; and another with beautiful portraits of Cuban artists. Drummer Yissy García, Writer Leonardo Padura, Zenaida Romeu, Director of the Camerata Romeu, and Leo Brouwer, were some of the artists chosen on this occasion.
“The photographic exhibition of Capoeira was chosen because in this way there is a direct connection between Cuban and Brazilian culture, taking into account that the Capoeira practiced on the island is nourished by the Afro-Brazilian tradition”, the artists said.
“As for the Portraits, the intention was to bring a bit of Cuban art and culture to the Brazilian context through performative portraits of Cuban artists, in addition to giving transcendence to the portrait as an expression of a reality of a culture”, they added.
Brazil received a small sample of Cuban culture at home, in an event that took place at Solar Carmina, a place that regularly welcomes people of foreign nationalities and projects associated with arts and creativity.
For Alejandro Reyes and Danay Nápoles it was a very special moment:
“It was a transcendental experience, because being in contact with people who are the source of inspiration for Cuban capoeiristasand seeing their reaction to the pieces, materializes, in some way, the supra-objective of art, which is to connect cultures”, they said.
On a night where people danced to the rhythm of Cuban music —from the traditional sounds of son and rumba, to the most contemporary sounds of bands like Interactivo and Cimafunk—, a sample of typical dishes and desserts from Cuba were tasted, both exhibitions were the center of attention for the guests. We felt so close and knew that we were much more connected than we thought; that was the golden seal of Conectar Bahías.
“We were lucky that the exhibition was attended by Brazilian artists, because the exchange of visions and perspectives with other artists from the continent, along with interpretations and points of view about work that was created responding to another reality, are very enriching”, they assured.
