ISSN: 2014-1130
ol. 12 | in ie no 2015 | 223-236
DOI: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.5565/ e /mi ologias.287
Recibido: 22/09/2015
Ap obado: 26/10/2015
ON!TRUTH!AND!OPACITY.!SYMBOLIC!TRANSLATION!AND!LEGIBILITY!IN
CONTEMPORARY!TEXT6BASED!CUBAN!ART!
Sob e& e dad&y&opacidad.&T aducción&simbólica&y&legibilidad&en&el&a e&
ex ual&cubano&con empo áneo&
CARLOS!GARRIDO!CASTELLANO !
CENTRO!DE!ESTUDOS!COMPARATISTAS.!UNIVERSIDADE!DE!LISBOA!
[email p o ec ed]!
Abs ac :! his! pape ! examines! ex Ebased! a wo ks! ha ! employ!
symbolic! ansla ions!as!a!way!o !analyzing! he!discu si e!cons ains!
egula ing! he! Cuban! public! sphe e.! Th ough! a! e ision! o ! a is ic!
p ojec s! ha ! u n! o! ansla ion! and! in end! o! p o oke! he!
spec a o ’s! ac i e! engagemen ,! I! seek! o! unde s and! which!
possibili ies!a e!opened!by! ansla ion!in!o de ! o!escape! he!bu dens!
o ! ep esen a ion!and!commodi iza ion!shaping!con empo a y!Cuban!
a .! I! a gue! ha ! he! encou agemen ! o ! di ec ! expe ience! could! be!
amed! as! ha ! possible! al e na i e.! The!po en ial! a ibu ed! o!
expe ience!and!p ac icali y,!ne e heless,!canno !be!di ec ly!deduced!
om! he!a is ’s!in en ions,!being!con ingen !ul ima ely!o !how!each!
p ojec !wo ks.!!
Keywo ds:! Ca ibbean,! Concep ualism,! Con empo a y! A ,! Cuba,!
Cu a o ial!Poli ics,!Visual!T ansla ion!
Resumen:! es e! ex o! analiza! p oyec os! a ís icos! basados! en!
con enido! ex ual!que! ecu en!a!la! aducción!simbólicamen e!pa a!
examina ! las! limi aciones! discu si as! que! de e minan! la! es e a!
pública!cubana!con empo ánea.!A! a és!de!una! e isión!de!discu sos!
a ís icos! que! se! basan! de! la! aducción! pa a! p o oca ! una!
implicación!ac i a!po !pa e!de!los!espec ado es,!p e endo!en ende !
qué! posibilidades! se! ab en! a! a és! de! la! aducción! a! la! ho a! de!
escapa !a!las!limi aciones!de!la! ep esen ación!y!la!me can ilización.!
De iendo!que!el! omen o!de!una!expe iencia!di ec a!puede!se !esa!
al e na i a.!El!po encial!a ibuido!a!la!expe iencia!y!a!lo!p ác ico,!sin!
emba go,!no!pod á!deduci se!inmedia amen e!de!las!in enciones!de!
los! a is as,! esul ando! con ingen e! en! odo!caso! en! cada!p oyec o!
a ís ico.!
Palab as!cla e:!Ca ibe,!concep ualismo,!a e!con empo áneo,!Cuba,!
polí icas!cu a o iales,! aducción! isual!
On T u h and Opaci y. Symbolic T ansla ion and Legibili y in Con empo a y Tex -Based Cuban A
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In oduc ion1!
!
Fo &language,&including& isual&language,&can&be&deployed&&
no &only&as&a&means&o &communica ion,&bu &also&as&an&ins umen &&
o &s a egically&planned&discommunica ion&
&o &e en&sel =induced&ex=communica ion,&in&o he &wo ds,&&
o &delibe a ely&abs aining& o & he&communica ing&communi y.&
!Bo is!G oys,!“Back! om! he!Fu u e”!
! !
La& ealidad&absolu a&was!Luis!Gómez’s!con ibu ion! o! he!Eigh h!edi ion!o !
he!Ha ana!Biennial!in!2003.!I !p esen ed!a!plas ic,! anslucen ,!polygonal!
en !which! he!public!was!in i ed! o!en e .!Behind! he! ab ic! he!audience!
could!glimpse!se e al!human!silhoue es!li !up!by! eading!lamps.!Each!lamp!
illumina ed!a!lec u e !s anding! o !a! eligion!and!a!cul u al!communi y.!The!
ole!o ! he!se en!lec u e s!was!clea :! hey!should! ead!each!one,!in! hei !
o iginal! language,! he! sac ed! ex ! o ! he! cul u e! hey! “belong! o”.!
Imme sed!in! ha !scena io!and!dep i ed!o !sigh ,! isi o s!could!app oach!
he! “essence”! o ! di ine! u h! in! i s! o iginal! e sion,! in! he! mos ! di ec !
possible! way.! Howe e ,! a ! he! same! ime,! hei ! pe cep ion! o ! ha ! u h!
was! o eclosed! by! he! ac ! ha ! he! se en! lec u es! came! o! hem! a ! he!
same! ime,! gene a ing! a! BabelElike! con usion,! as! a! mu mu ! ha ! Gómez!
aimed! o!make!equi alen ! o!absolu e! eali y.!!
! Ul ima ely,! as! we! will! see,! he! denial! o ! pe cep ion! and!
communica ion! p esen ! in! La& ealidad& absolu a,! which! aims! o! p o oke!
spec a o s’! sel Eawa eness! h ough! he! nega i e! expe ience! hey! ace,! is!
indissolubly!linked! o! ansla ion!and!language.!I !is! ha !nega i i y!which!
con e s! he! a wo k! i s! main! aes he ic! alues.! One! could! say! ha ! he!
p ojec ! deals! wi h! he! dis ance! be ween! ideal! and! p ac ical! ac s! o !
communica ion! and! wi h! he! sepa a ion! be ween! w i en! language! and!
pe o ma i e!ac s!o !speech,!poin ing!ou !how!e e yday!ac s!a e!dissol ed!
om! an! una ainable! uppe ! dimension! o ! pe ec ion.! In! ha ! sense,! one!
could! hink! ha ! he! ins alla ion’s! main! objec i e! is! o! ende ! he! public!
awa e!o ! he!di icul ies!associa ed!wi h!in e cul u al!communica ion!and!
ansla ion,!as!well!as! o!poin !ou ! he!dis ance!be ween!any!enuncia ion!
wi h!p e ensions!o ! u h!and!i s!c i ical!ma e ializa ion.!!
! This!in e p e a ion!bea s!key!implica ions! o !ou !ends!in! his! ex .!
He ein! I! will! analyze! how! con empo a y! Cuban! ex Ebased! a ! has! used!
ansla ion! in! symbolic! ways! in! o de ! o! examine! c i ically! he! shi ing!
p edicamen !o !Cuban!sociopoli ical! eali y!and! he!inca dina ion!o !Cuban!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1!Acknowledgemen s:!The! esea ch! o ! his!a icle!a ises! om!se e al! ieldwo k!s ays!in!
Cuba!and! he!Uni ed!S a es.!I !was! unded!by!a!FCT!Pos EDoc o al!Schola ship,!being!pa !
o ! he! p ojec ! “A is ic! Cu a o ship! and! Di e ence! in! he! Pos colonial! Lusophone! and!
Hispanophone!A lan ic!Con ex s”!(SFRH/BDP/92492/2013).!Special! hanks! o! he!Wil edo!
Lam!Cen e !in!Ha ana,! he!Bobs !Lib a y!o !New!Yo k!Uni e si y!and! he!Lilly!Lib a y!in!
Duke!Uni e si y.!
Ca los Ga ido Cas ellano
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a is ic!wi hin!a! ansna ional!sphe e.2!Unde ! ha ! iew,!I!asse ! ha !Cuban!
a is ic! p ac ice! has! been! domina ed! by! he! es ic i e! communica ional!
amewo k! se ! up! by! s a e! powe ! and! he! expec a ions! a ising! om! he!
inco po a ion! o ! Cuban! a is ic! p ac ice! in o! he! hy hms! o ! a ! ma ke .!
Whe eas! he! c i ical! sel E e lexi eness! pu sued! by! con empo a y! Cuban!
a is s!has! ecei ed!wide!a en ion!(Tonel,!2006;!Fusco,!2001;!Bo às!and!
Zaya,!1996;!San ana,!2007),!as!has! he!use!o !s a egies!such!as!i ony!and!
humo ! in! he! elabo a ion! o ! a! discou se! awa e! o ! he! a is ’s! posi ion!
(Weiss,! 2011)! he! ela ion! be ween! ansla ion! and! speech! has! ecei ed!
much!less!a en ion,!despi e! he! ele ance!o ! ex Ebased!a is ic!p oduc ion!
in! he! con igu a ion! o ! Cuban! con empo a y! a is ic! p ac ice! (Camni ze ,!
2003).!!
! Tha ! ela ion! e eals! o! be! especially! eloquen ! conce ning! he!
e aming!o !a !audiences!in! he!Cuban!con ex .!Wi hin! he!las !decades,!
many! ini ia i es! ⎯a ! exhibi ions,! a is ic! in e en ions,! open! symposia,!
a is Emanaged! spaces,! no ! o! men ion! he! Ha ana! Biennial,! which! om!
he!2000s!on!has! aken!place!inc easingly!wi hin! he!public!space!o ! he!
ci y⎯!ha e!p i ileged! he!ac i e!implica ion!o ! he!audiences.!A ! he!same!
ime,! hose! ini ia i es! ha e! sough ! o! expand! he! in luence! o ! a is ic!
p ac ice! ou side! he! small! g oup! o ! con empo a y! a ! connoisseu s,&
in ending! o! engage! wi h! b oade ! publics.! The! a is ic! p ojec s! I! analyze!
he e! o m!pa !o ! ha !logic.!&Those!p ojec s!a e,! hus,!demanding!a!new!
subjec i i y!in! he! o m!o !a!mo e!implica ed!audience,!ye ,!as!we!will!see,!
his!will!no !always!be!achie ed!in! he!same!ways!and! o! he!same!deg ee.!
By! examining! a wo ks! using! ansla ion! he e ogeneously,! my! main!
objec i e!will!be! o!assess! he! ole!o ! ansla ion!in! isual!a s.!The!poin ,!
hen,!will!be! o!disce n!whe he !symbolic! ansla ion!s ands!as!a!powe ul!
ool!when!used!by!Cuban! isual!a is s!in!o de ! o!sub e ! he! es ic ions!
imposed!by! he!Cuban!communica ional! amewo k!and! he!expec a ions!
o ! Mains eam& economic! luxes;! o ,! on! he! con a y,! i ! i ! has! been! used!
solely! in! o de ! o! gene a e! a! sense! o ! “c i icali y”,! an! idea! o ! a is ic!
independence! and! c i ical! awa eness.! In! ha ! sense,! I! sus ain! ha !
ansla ion! has! played! a! cen al! ole! in! ensu ing! a! deg ee! o !
expe imen a ion! and! “p ac icali y”! ha ! will! se e! a is s! o! e eal! he!
limi a ions! o ! a ,! unde s ood! as! a! p i ileged! communica ional! sphe e!
wi hin! Cuban! eali y! since! he! eigh ies.! By! hen,! a ! c i ic! and! cu a o !
Ge a do!Mosque a!in oduced! he!idea!o !a!“subs i u i e!space”! e e ing!
o! con empo a y! Cuban! a .! Acco ding! o! Mosque a,! con empo a y! a !
allowed! o ! a! mo e! in ense! c i ique! in! compa ison! o! li e a u e,! and!
because! o ! ha ! i ! subs i u ed! he! poli ical! ealm! as! he! main! e ain! o !
social!demands!and!new!a icula ions!o !poli ical!c i icism.!Being!poli ics!a!
o bidden! e i o y,! a ! p o ided! a! use ul! way! o! add ess! poli ical! issues!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2!My!use!o !symbolic! ansla ion! ho ough! his! ex !in ends! o!allude!a !how! isual!a is !
ha e!add essed! he!p edicamen !o !Cuban! ansna ional!public!sphe e!by!analyzing! he!
dis ance! be ween! di e en ! linguis ic! ins ances,! among! hem! he! o icial! he o ic! and!
e e yday!language,!and!capi alis !exchanges!and!Cuban!sociopoli ical! eali y.!!
On T u h and Opaci y. Symbolic T ansla ion and Legibili y in Con empo a y Tex -Based Cuban A
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due! o! i s! nonE ep esen a ional,! nonEna a i e! cha ac e .! Mo eo e ,!
Mosque a!a gues,!a is ic!p ac ice!will!soon!become!a!lingua& anca! ha !
allowed!Cuban!a is s! o!engage,!e en!in!a!posi ion!o !p eponde ance,!in!
he!deba es!on!globaliza ion!and!na ional!poli ics!(Mosque a,!2009,!2010).!!
! While! ecognizing,!wi h!Mosque a,! ha ! isual!a s!played!a!cen al!
ole!wi hin! he!de ini ion!o !a!Cuban!public!sphe e,!I!sus ain!he e! ha ! ex E
based!a wo ks!using! ansla ion!ope a e!in! adically!di e en ! e ms.!The!
a is ic!p ojec s!I!analyze!he e!can!be!con on ed!a ! wo!di e en !le els.!
The! i s ! one! consis s! on! emp ying! he! con en ! o ! symbolically! and!
ideologically! cha ged! e e ences.! This! s a egy! could! be! amed! as! being!
close! o! app op ia ion! and! e e en ial,! i onic,! isual! quo a ion! widely!
p esen !wi hin!Cuban!a !c i icism.!Impo an !as! his!op ion!is!in! e ealing!
he!ways!in!which!cul u al!exchanges!a e!pe mea ed!by!poli ical!powe !and!
subjec ed! o! he! e olu iona y! in elligen sia,! I! will! a gue! h oughou ! his!
pape ! ha !i ! e eals!i sel !incomple e!o !un e ile.!I !depends! oo!much!on!
he!“clai oyance”!o ! he!a is ,! he!only!pe son!who!is!able! o!“awaken”!an!
igno an ! audience! and! o! ale ! i ! abou ! how! powe ! ope a es! in! each!
he meneu ical! o ! communica ional! ac .! Ins ead! o ! elying! on! he!
“c i icali y”!o ! ex Ebased!p ojec s!(Llanes,!2010),!a!second!in e p e a ion,!I!
a gue,!a ises!as!much!mo e! ui ul,!one!based!on!an!app aisal!o !p ac ice!
and! expe ience.! Unde ! ha ! iew,! ansla ion! o e s! Cuban! a is s! he!
possibili y!o !expe imen ing,!de aching! hus! he!c ea i e!p ocess! om! he!
consecu ion!o !a! inal,!ma ke able!p oduc .!This!will!lead! o!use! ansla ion!
as!a!use ul! ool! o!engage!wi h!“sub le&uses&o &powe & h ough&con ols&o &
communica ion”!(Fabian,!1991:!3).!O !cou se,! his!s a egy!does!no !pu ! he!
a is s! using! i ! ou side! he! Cuban! a ! wo ld! and! ou side! he! bu dens! o !
c i icism!and!“c i icali y”!and,!as!we!will!see,!se e al!di icul ies!will!a ise!
om! ha ! iewpoin .!Howe e ,! ha !second,!expe ienceEbased!possibili y,!I!
sus ain,!can! open!up! an!in e es ing! amewo k! o !aes he ic! c ea i i y!in!
Cuba! wi hin! he! las ! decades,! while! e ealing! he! pi alls! o ! g a ui ously!
app ecia i e!unde s andings!o ! he!po en ial!o !a .!!
!
Expe ience!and!P ac ice!beyond!C i icali y!!
&
La& ealidad&absolu a&p o ides!a!good!example!o ! he!possibili ies!and! he!
limi a ions! o ! bo h! unde s andings.! Le ! us! conside ! i s ! he! p ojec ! as! a!
collapse!o !communica ion.!F om! ha ! iewpoin ,! he!ins alla ion!a ises!as!
an!ambiguous!p ojec !open! o!many!possible!in e p e a ions.!By!ga he ing!
he! audience! wi hin! he! space! o ! he! en ! and! imme sing! i ! in! he!
mu mu ing!chaos!o ! oices,!i !deals!wi h! he!common,!wi h! he!condi ions!
egula ing! he!con igu a ion!o !collec i e!subjec i i ies!a ound!an!ex e nal,!
“supe io ”! en i y! o ! agenda.! A ! he! same! ime,! La& ealidad& absolu a& is!
abou ! he!con ingency!o !communica ion!and! he! e usal!o !domes ica ing!
di e ence! wi hin! discu si e,! in e cul u al! in e ac ion.! The! ins alla ion!
bea s,!wi hou !add essing! hem!di ec ly,!se e al!conno a ions!conce ning!
he! p edicamen ! o ! Cuban! public! sphe e:! he! dis ance! be ween! o icial!
Ca los Ga ido Cas ellano
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he o ic!and! eali y;! ha !is,! he!dissocia ion!be ween! he!“absolu e! eali y”!
o ! e olu iona y!ideals!and!i s! ac ical!ma e ializa ion.!Gómez’s!ins alla ion,!
hus,! appea s! ambiguously! e ac o y! o ! uni ocal! ep esen a ion! and!
in e p e a ions,! o cing! us! o! ely! on! he! (impe ec )! expe ience! we! ge !
when!imme sed!in! he!chaos!o !di ine! oices! o!d aw!any!conclusion.!!
! The! a is ’s! ole! in! ha ! case! would! be! o! collapse! he!
communica i e!p ocess!in!o de ! o!make!by! ha !way! he!spec a o !awa e!
o ! how! ideologicallyEbounded! he! in e p e a i e! and! communica i e!
uni e ses! a e.! In! Gómez’s! ins alla ion,! he! impu i y,! and! ul ima ely! he!
impossibili y! o ! ansla ion! leads! us! o! pe cei e! he! nonEexis ence! o !
absolu e! eali y,! ha !is,!how!any!app oach! o! he!nucleus!o ! eali y!appea s!
as!con ingen !and!doomed! o! ailu e.!Unde ! his!ligh ,! hen,! he!ins alla ion!
ope a es!appa en ly!as!a!powe ul!c i ical! ool,!one!which!used!in! he! igh !
way!and! by! he! igh ! pe son,! would!co ec ! and! imp o e! he! ideological!
appa a us!unde !which!Cuban!cul u al!p oduc ion!ope a es.!A e !lea ing!
Gómez’s! en ,! he!spec a o !would!ha e!pe cei ed!how!“con amina ed”!by!
ex e nal! o ces!his/he !“ ela ional”!engagemen !wi h! he!“absolu e! eali y”!
o ! language! is,! and! consequen ly! would! adop ! a! c i ical! posi ion! o ! ale !
(Bou iaud,!2002).!In! ha !sense,!e en!when! he!con en !o ! he!ins alla ion!
d i es! he! spec a o ! owa ds! a! p i a i e! expe ience,! o! a! nega ion! o !
meaning,! ul ima ely! i ! would! bea ! a! ans o ma i e! po en ial! ha ! would!
des abilize! he!symbolic!o de ! he!a wo k!in ends! o!unde mine.3!!
! This! app oach! appea s! o! be! especially! in! une! wi h! Ranciè e’s!
equen ly! quo ed! idea! o ! he! dis ibu ion! o ! he! sensible! (2004).! The!
dis up i e!e ec !ope a ed!by!La& ealidad&absolu a&would!ha e! he!e ec !o !
ans o ming! he! pa ame e s! o ! he! sayable! and! he! hinkable! wi hin!
Cuban! eali y,!by!ope a ing!wi hin!“ he!aes he ic! egime”.!Howe e ,!i !we!
conside ! he! special! p edicamen ! o ! Cuban! public! sphe e,! his!
in e p e a ion! will! e eal! i sel ! p oblema ic,! gi ing! way! o! mul iple!
ques ions:! How! emancipa i e! a e! a! se ! o ! “c i ical”! c ea i e! p ac ices!
accep ed!and!e en!encou aged!by! he! e olu iona y! egime!and!emb aced!
and! os e ed!by!a !ins i u ions!and!a !c i icism?!A e!we! o!unde s and!La&
ealidad& absolu a& as! a! di ec ! a ack! agains ! he! limi ing! o ces! o !
e olu iona y!censo ship?!To!wha !ex en !does! he!ins alla ion!ope a e! he!
“emancipa i e”! po en ial! i ! ca ies?! A! quick! look! a ! La& ealidad& absolu a&
will! e eal! he! limi a ions! o ! ha ! iew.! We! could! unde s and! Gómez’s!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3!I ! is! s iking! how! he! celeb a ion! o ! some! p ojec s! has! been! based! on! ha ! will! o !
des abilizing! he!Cuban!communica ional!sphe es,! ega dless!o !a is ic!p ojec s’!p ac ical!
unc ioning.!Tania!B ugue a’s! e sion!o !Los&susu os& he&Ta lin&displayed!in!2009!as!pa !o !
he!Ha ana!Biennial!p o ides!a!clea !example!o ! ha .!In! his!case,!B ugue a!disposed!a!
podium! in! which! one! minu e! o ! “non! censo ed! speech”! was! g an ed! o! any! pe son!
in e es ed!in!using! his!p e oga i e.!A e ! ha ! minu e,! wo! mili a yEd essed!pe o me s!
pu !a!pigeon!on! he!speaking!pe son’s!shoulde ,!emula ing! he!inaugu al!momen !o ! he!
Re olu ion!in!which!a!pigeon!was! old! o!ge !down!and! o!pose!i sel !on!Cas o’s!shoulde .!
B ugue a’s!pe o mance!had!a! as ! epe cussion!wi hin! he!media!and!bo h!na ional!and!
in e na ional!c i ical!deba es;!howe e ,!as!La& ealidad&absolu a&shows,!i s!ambi ions!and!
objec i es!we e!al eady!p esen !in!o he !less!spec acula !Cuban! isual!a !p ojec s,!which!
ul ima ely! unc ion!in!a!simila !way.!

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ins alla ion!jus !as!an!exe cise!o !“nega i e”! ansla ion,! om!which!would!
be!de i ed!an!emancipa i e!a i ude!by!pa !o ! he!audience.!Bu ! hen,!we!
would! be! o e es ima ing! a is ic! agency,! by! concei ing! i s! unc ioning! as!
independen ! om!an!equally!poli icized!and!“pollu ed”!cul u al!sphe e.!I !is!
ime,! hen,! o!explo e! he!second!in e p e a ion!I!in oduced!abo e.!!!
! I ! is! impo an ! o! no e! ha ! all! he! possible! in e p e a ions! o ! La&
ealidad&absolu a&abo e!ou lined!a e!indissolubly!linked! o!expe ience.!Any!
indi ec !app oach! o! he!documen a ion!gene a ed!by! he!p ojec ! e eals!
i sel ! o! be! incomple e.! E en! he! ideo! documen ing! he! ac ion,! which!
shows!a!chao ic!mul i ude!wande ing!inside! he! en ,! ails! o!cap u e! he!
essence!o ! he!p ojec .!Ins ead,! he!p ojec !only!achie es!i s! unc ion!when!
we! a e! inside! he! en ,! imme sed! in! he! linguis ic! chaos! ha ! Gómez!
iden i ies!wi h!absolu e! eali y.!The!spec a o !is!commi ed! o!de eloping!a!
he meneu ical! ole,! ying! o!ob ain!a!common!unde s anding!ou !o ! he!
o e lapping! o ! oices! and! expe iences! and! o! o e coming! he! discu si e!
esis ance!pe mea ing!i s!pe cep ion.!Howe e ,! his!expe ience!will! e eal!
i sel ! u ile! only! by! he! sa u a ion! o ! language! and! con en .! Expe ience,!
hen,! ope a es! a! decisi e! ole,! bu ! i ! does! so! in! a! nega i e! way:! he!
una ainable!condi ion!o !absolu e! eali y,!o !absolu e! u h,!is!equa ed! o!a!
denial!o !pa icipa ion!and!engagemen .4!!
! Ye ,!a ! he!same! ime,!La& ealidad&absolu a&challenges! he!agency!o !
he! public,! o ! he! pe o me sE eade s,! and! o ! he! a is ! himsel .! The!
ins alla ion!complex!does!no !concei e!i s!audience!as!a!g oup!o !passi e!
subjec s! wai ing! o! be! “illus a ed”! and! “awakened”! by! he! c i ical!
clai oyance! o ! he! a is .! A e ! a! momen ! o ! as onishmen ! and!
con empla ion,! he! public! who! isi ed! he! ins alla ion! in! he! Ha ana!
Biennial! s a ed! alking,! con ounding! hus! hei ! oices! wi h! he! sonic!
pe o mance,! and! he e o e! adding! ano he ! laye ! o! he! chao ic!
con igu a ion! displayed! by! Gómez.! The! use! o ! he! en ! as! a! space! o !
in e ac ion! and! e lec ion! pa ially! independen ! o ! he! a is ’s! in en ion!
e ealed! o! be! undamen al,! since! i ! igge ed! a! mo e! pa icipa i e!
beha io ! om! he!audience.!By!so!doing,! he!public!could!in!some!ways!
app op ia e! he! a wo k,! pollu ing! he! “noise”! o ! di ine! u h,! and!
he e o e! he! au ho ial,! posi ion! o ! he! a is ! and! o ! he! a ! ins i u ion,!
simul aneously! comp omising! he! “c i icali y”! o ! he! ins alla ion! h ough!
he!inco po a ion!o !nonEexpec ed!speech.!T ansla ion!a ises,! hen,!no !as!
a! p ojec ! condemned! o! ailu e,! bu ! as! a! nuanced! amewo k! in! which!
expe imen a ion!and!p ac ice!can! ake!place.!!
!
Re aming! he!Sayable!
!
In! he!con ex !o !Cuban!a ,! he!sayable!and! he! isible! e eal! hemsel es!
no !as!a!comple e!modi ica ion!o ! he! e ms!de e mining! he!poli ical!and!
he!common,!bu !as!a!nuanced!se !o !maneu e s!de ying,!channeling!and!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4!This!dis ance!is!no !new!a !all.!On! he!con a y,!i !cen e s! o!a!g ea !ex en !con empo a y!
a is ic!p ac ice.!A!c i ical! iew!on! he!“aes he ics!o !disengagemen ”!in!Kes e ,!2011.!!
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229
app op ia ing!a ! he!same! ime,! he!“o icial”! e olu iona y!symbolic!o de .!
I ,!acco ding! o!Ranciè e,!“Poli ics,!be o e!all!else,!is!an!in e en ion!in! he!
isible!and! he!sayable”!(2010:!37),! his!only!becomes! ue!in! he!Cuban!
case!a e !an!exe cise!in!which!meaning!is!de ied!wi hin! he!limi s! ha ! he!
pe manence!o ! o ms!allow.!Ranciè e’s!wo ds!acqui e!ano he !ligh !when!
con on ed!wi h!wha !would!be! he!mo o,!and! he!p ima y!bounda y,!o !
Cuban!cul u al!p oduc ion,! he!one!de ined!in! he!discou se! ha !la e !on!
will!be! known! as!Palab as& de& los& In elec uales:! “den o! de! la! e olución,!
odo;! ue a!de!la! e olución,!nada”.!On!one!hand,! his!mo o!supposed! o !
decades! a! bu den! ha ! limi ed! he! ac i i y! o ! w i e s,! a is s! and! o he !
cul u al! p oduce s,! and! ul ima ely! led! some! o ! hem! o! exile,! social!
isola ion,!imp isonmen !o !e en!suicide.!On! he!o he ,!i !enabled!a!b oad!
ma gin!in!which!“all”!was!allowed!as!long!as!i !was!inside! he! e olu iona y!
o de ,! ha ! is,! as! long! as! i ! would! no ! su pass! a! ce ain! h eshold! o !
pe missibili y.! How! and! o ! whom! ha ! h eshold! is! de ined! is! ano he !
ques ion.!In!o he !wo ds,! he!accep ance!o !any!kind!o !c i icism!would!no !
only! be! ejec ed,! bu ! i ! would! also! be! emb aced! as! a! posi i e! elemen !
ueling! e olu iona y! ene gy.! Consequen ly,! unde ! his! p edicamen ,! any!
judgmen ! o ! a is ic! p ac ice! as! a! challenge! agains ! he! na ional! poli ical!
sys em!will!be!missing! he!ci cums ances!unde !which! ha !challenge!a ises!
and!how!i !ope a es.!The!poin !will!no !be,! hus,!how!in ense!o !was ed! he!
a is ic!message!is,!how!sub le!o !sha p! he!c i icism,!o !how!nea !o !close!
cul u al!agen s!and!c ea o s! o! he!image!o ! he!“o ganic!in ellec ual”! ha !
Che! Gue a a! depic ed! al eady! in! 1965.! To! measu e! Cuban! cul u al!
p oduc ions!by! he!ex en !in!which! hey!oppose!an!“o icial!cul u e”!and!
de ine! an! “an iEins i u ional”! amewo k! wi hou ! leeing! he! cul u al!
ins i u ions!highly!con olled!by!Cuban!go e nmen ,5!i e ocably!condemns!
hose!cul u al!p oduc ions! o!an!uni ocal!unde s anding,! ende ing! hem!
ul ima ely! o!a! alse!opposi ional!dicho omy.!!
! Tha ! dicho omy! be ween! an iEins i u ional! and! “ins i u ionalized”!
a ! has! been! equen ly! used! o! measu e! he! dis ance! be ween! wo!
di e en !“gene a ions”!o !a is s!and! wo!unde s andings!o !Cuban!a .!In!
ha ! sense,! whe eas! he! eigh ies! saw! a! di e en ! g oups! o ! c ea o s!
supposedly! de ying! he! a ! ins i u ion! and! ul ima ely! he! whole! Cuban!
cul u al!sys em,! he!Cuban!a !o ! he!nine ies!became!in e na ionalized!and!
commodi ized.!Weiss!pu s!i ! e y!clea ly!when!saying! ha !⎯“a !was!again!
a ,! sa ely! con ained! in! ins i u ional! space”! (Weiss,! 2011:! 187)⎯.! Mo e!
adically,! Camni ze ! aces! a! da k! landscape! a ! he! beginning! o ! he! las !
decade!o ! he! wen ie h!cen u y:6!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5!The!Ha ana!biennial!s ands! o !a!pe ec !example!o !a!cul u al!p ojec !whose! adicalism!
has! inc easingly! dec eased! a ! he! same! ime! as! i ! has! emb aced! and! channeled!
“al e na i e”!and!“pa icipa i e”!means,!including! he!exis ing!museum!and!galle y!space,!
engaging!wi h!“local!communi ies”!o !p oposing!pa allel!communica ional! amewo ks.!
6!I !is!symp oma ic! ha ! he!2003!edi ion!o !Camni ze ’s!ambi ious!su ey!o !Cuban!a !o !
he!eigh ies!main ained! he!app ecia i e! one!o ! he! i s !edi ion!o !1994.!
On T u h and Opaci y. Symbolic T ansla ion and Legibili y in Con empo a y Tex -Based Cuban A
!
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Local!p ima y!in o ma ion!was!ine i ably!masked!by! he!impo s,!and!
a is ic! p oduc s! s a ed! o! become! echoes,! pos poning! cul u e!
ins ead!o !gene a ing!i .!A !on! he!pe iphe y!unde ! hese!condi ions!
became! mo e! a! pos cul u al! han! a! cul u al! phenomenon.! I ! is!
p ima ily! he! p oduc ! o ! an! adop ed! o ! an! imposed! cul u e! a he !
han!a!con ibu o ! o!a!cul u e!in!ac ion.!(Camni ze ,!2003:!300)!
!
I !we!app oach! his!deba e!he e!is!no ! o!con as !di e en !unde s andings!
and!ch onologies!o !con empo a y!Cuban!a .!Wha !is!in e es ing!he e!is!
how! he!c i ical!capaci y!o !Cuban!a wo ks!has!been!measu ed!acco ding!
o! hei ! abili y! o! escape! om! “con ainmen ! wi hin! ins i u ional! space”.!
Tex Ebased! a wo ks! ha e! no ! been! an! excep ion.! One! ques ion! a ises!
immedia ely:! was! no ! he! “expe imen al”! a ! scene! o ! he! eigh ies! also!
⎯and! olun a ily⎯! ope a ing! wi hin! ins i u ional! space?7! Wha ! do! we!
expec ! om! a ?! Those! in e p e a ions! unde s and! a is s! as! being!
p i ileged! ansla o s! ope a ing! in! he! shi ing! landscape! in! which! Cuban!
cul u al!exchanges! ake!place,!as!i !a!mo e!“c i ical”!a wo k!would!be! he!
an ido e! o! a! adi ion! o ! packaging! cul u e! and! esponding! o! o eign!
expec a ions.! The! p oblem! wi h! ha ! posi ion! is! ha ! i ! p esupposes! he!
exis ence!o !a!discu si e!“ou side”!o !ins i u ionaliza ion!and! he!ma ke ,!
being! he! esponsibili y! o ! he! a is ! o! adop ! a! sel Eawa e! and! c i ical!
a i ude,!and!expec ing! ha !a!simila ! eac ion!will! ollow!on! he!side!o ! he!
spec a o s!a e ! ha .!Wha !can!be!done,! hen?!
!
Cap u ing!Ske ches!
!
In!1996,!An onio!Eligio!Fe nández!“Tonel”,!pe haps! he!Cuban!a is !who!
has! e lec ed! mo e! in! dep h! abou ! he! p ac ice! o ! his! ellow! colleagues,!
w o e! ha !a!g ea ! pa !o !Cuban! a is ic! p ac ice!had! he! condi ion!o !a!
ske ch,!o !a!schoolElike!exe cise.!This!would!con e !c ea i i y!a!deg ee!o !
eshness!de i ing! om! he!p oximi y! o! he!a mosphe e!o ! he!uni e si y!
and! he! educa ional! cen e ! om! whe e! many! o ! hem! ope a ed! in! he!
eigh ies.! In! some! ways,! Tonel’s! idea! o ! concei ing! pa ! o ! he! a is ic!
p oduc ion! as! an! expe imen al! ac ! o ! ske ching,! o ! p ac icing,! will! be!
pa icula ly! ele an !in! he! ield!o ! ex Ebased!a .!Wha !is!in e es ing! om!
his!concep ualiza ion!is! he!way!i !b eaks!wi h! he!passi i y!o !discou seE
based!p oduc i i y:!Tonel’s!ske ches!do!no !“ ep esen ”! inal!a wo ks,!no !
do! hey!aspi e! o!conceal!an!emancipa i e!symbolic!meaning!benea h! he!
su ace!o ! he!pape .!They!a e!jus !p ac ice,! epe i ion,!p i a e!jokes!and!
e e ences,! aimed! o! be! unde s ood! only! by! a! limi ed! ci cle! o ! people.!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7!The!exis ence!o !an!“ou side”!o !ins i u ional!space!is!cen e ing!p esen !day!deba es!on!
ins i u ional!c i ique!and!ins i u ional!exodus.!I ! he!a !ins i u ion!is!expanding,! eaching!
places! and! si ua ions! adi ionally! alien! o! a is ic! p ac ice,! a ! he! same! ime! ha ! i !
in eg a es! he!c i icism!made!by!a is s,!cu a o s,!spec a o s,…wi hin!i s!own!p esen a ion,!
how!a e!we! o!concei e! ha !“ou side”!posi ion?!Then,!whe eas! o !some! ha !possibili y!
o ! emaining! a ! he! ma gin! o ! ins i u ionalism! is! no! longe ! possible! (F ase ,! 2005),! o !
o he s!c ea i i y!and!c i icism!s ill!bea !an!“ins i uen ”!po en ial!(Raunig!and!Ray,!2009).!!
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Whe eas! his! ac !somehow!limi s! he!“u opian”!po en ial!o ! he!a wo k!
and!i s!aspi a ions!o !pe ec ing! he!social!domain!in!which!i !is!inse ed,!a !
he!same! ime! ha !expe imen al!condi ion!de aches!a ! om!a!ca ego ical!
a i ma ion!o ! ejec ion!o !communica ion.!
! The!implica ions!o ! his!kind!o !p ac ice,!which!canno !be!limi ed! o!
he! speci ic! con ex ! o ! he! eigh ies,! ha e! somehow! emained! p esen !
wi hin! Cuban! ex Ebased! a ! using! ansla ion! symbolically.! Howe e ,! i !
appea s! o! be! bu dened! by! se e al! limi a ions! downplaying! i s! e icacy.!
Conside ,! o !ins ance,!Jo ge!Wellesley’s!expe imen s!wi h!concep ualism.!
As! Gómez,! Wellesley,! who! eme ged! in! he! i s ! decade! o ! he! wen ie h!
cen u y,!is!in e es ed!in!analyzing!how! he!“condi ions!o !possibili y”!o !any!
u h!being!s ongly! ela ed! o!i s!enuncia ion.!This!is!especially!e iden !in!
Wellesley’s!wo k.!All!his!p ojec s!a e!subsumed!unde ! he!common!name!
o !“TRUTH”!plus!a!numbe .!By! ying! o!explain! ha ,!Wellesley!alludes! o!
indexical! easons,! bu ! also! o! he! p oblema ic! p edicamen ! ha ! English!
language!symbolizes!in!Cuba:!!
!
I!c ea ed!a!so !o !sys em! ha !includes!a!ch onology!o ! he!a wo ks!I!
ha e!been!doing.!I!make!a!lis !o !wo ks!in!which!all!ha e! he!wo d!
TRUTH,! and! a! nume a ion! ha ,! in! a! g ea ! i ony,! classi ies! and!
accoun s! he! u hs! o ! he! a is s.! I! pu ! i ! in! English! because! i ! is!
some hing! ha !simply!accen ua es! he!i ony.!T u h!in!English!is!e en!
ue ![…]8!!
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Figu e!1!
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The e!is,! hen,!a!c i ical,!i onic! one!in!Wellesley’s!wo k,!one! ha !is!used! o!
decons uc ! he! powe ! ela ions!de e mining! Cuban! social! eali y.! This! is!
e iden !in!some!o !his!“ u hs”:!TRUTH&0023&(Figu e!1),& o !example,!deal !
wi h! he!link!be ween! eali y!and!language,!and!was!composed!o !a!se ies!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8!Pe sonal!in e iew!wi h! he!a is .!Ha ana,!2012.!