Shut off from the rest of the world and bound by repressive government forces, Cuba was not a place that was known for its cultural output and creative vision. For so long cast to the shadows of the global arts scene, it was a country to which the majority of us were relatively in the dark, and it is only now that we are starting to see the place anew. The recent lifting of the Cuban travel ban has created a huge surge of liberalism in the country, and now, thanks to a greater deal of Western interest in the place, Cuba is revealing to us what it was forced to hide for all of these years.
Behind the government restrictions was a country that, creatively speaking, is thriving. From music, to poetry and right through to contemporary art, Cuba is bursting with artistic potential; we simply haven't noticed it happening under our noses. Geographically speaking, the country has more artists per capita than any other place in the planet, making it a tinder box for creative possibility. Over the years, self expression and artistic speech have gradually been integrated into the local culture and now, it is clear to see what has really been going on within its borders.
Art has long played a key part in Cuba's political and cultural identity and even took a prominent part in the country's revolution. While artists have long been creating innovative pieces, however, restrictions set by the government meant that actually seeing or getting your hands on the work was surprisingly difficult. Thanks to hefty censorship laws, access to the internet was completely banned and when teamed with the lack of travel possibilities for Americans with access to major art industry links, this spelled disaster for the local arts scene. Cuban artists could continue to make their work; they just couldn't share it with the rest of the world.
Since the Revolutionary Government took hold of the country in 1983, however, the arts began to thrive once more in Cuba. The establishment of the Centro Wilfredo Lam -- a center dedicated to promoting art from South America, Africa and Asia -- put an emphasis back on creative expression. While local artists still struggled to make their way out into the world, art within the country was more than thriving. Over the years, things have slowly gained momentum, too. The introduction of the Havana Biennale -- which celebrated its 11th edition last December -- has gradually turned global attention towards the local arts scene and it's fair to say that collectors across the world have been very excited by what they have seen.
While there are a huge number of rising stars on the arts scene, a number of key players have been keeping the industry buoyant and now, are renowned throughout the world. Yoan Capote, for example, is a contemporary sculptor and shining beacon on the local arts scene. While he works within a variety of media, it is his often controversial sculptures which really get people talking. Interspersing broken human bodies with inanimate, banal objects, the artist brings back his personal memories of growing up in the country, inviting the viewer to take a closer look at the unsayable.
Elsewhere, art collectives are a big thing, enabling up and coming artists to make their mark on the local scene. Los Carpinteros is perhaps one of the most exciting around, having grown well beyond its original three members Marco Castillo, Dagoberto Rodriguez and Alexandre Arrechea. Working across architecture, design and sculpture, many of the works balance practicality with the absurd and are without a doubt some of the most tongue in cheek pieces on the Cuban market. Painting is equally renowned in the country and while many artists are making a case for their work, Tomás Sánchez is probably the most beloved around the world. Presenting a series of intricately finished landscapes and forestry, the artist unveils the beauty of the world around him, showing the possibilities of natural beauty without the interference of man.
Throughout the country, Cuban art is showing us creative expression unlike anything we've ever seen before. Free from its borders, the local arts scene can now make the international splash that it so justly deserves and now, it might just tip the creative industry into pastures new.