The members of the Association of Artists of the Plastic Arts backed the call for the event, scheduled from November 12, 2021, to April 30, 2022, and whose conception is the object of ‘crude and insidious political manipulation,’ Granma newspaper reported.

According to the publication, ‘the commitment by the overwhelming majority of Cuban artists to the Biennial is supported by the emancipating, open and socially inclusive character that has characterized the event since its foundation.’

In the heat of the commemorative actions for the Day of Cuban Culture, the institution issued a statement which explains that ‘no misrepresentation, no plot hatched by those who seek to isolate the nation, undermine our sovereignty and destroy the legitimacy of social consensus, will make us change our goal.’

It also highlights the leading role played by Cuban creators in the Biennial in close alliance with cultural institutions, and it is the artists who ‘decide the agenda of the event and welcome the colleagues who honor us with their participation.’

We bet on making Havana and other cities a space for dialogue with creators and diverse expressions from different parts of the world, and in particular, from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, it concludes.

The statement criticizes the counter-revolutionary campaign unleashed against the cultural sector and the policies outlined by the Cuban Revolution. This strategy is aligned with the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.

Since 1984, the event has summoned curators, gallery owners, critics and theoreticians to exchange in a space for dialogue and reflection of singular importance in the international art scene.

This year, the Biennial will be held in Havana for six months, at the request of Cuban artists themselves.

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