Jorge Pardo and the 11th Bienal de la Habana

We recently went to Havana with Jorge Pardo for the installation of his new room-sized work in the 11th Bienal de la Habana. Founded in 1984, with the goal of promoting "Third World" art, the Havana Biennial was originally focused on artists from Latin America and the Caribbean, expanding to include Africa and Asia in 1986. In 2009, the organizers decided to invite artists from the US and Europe as well, and the 2012 Biennial was attended by 115 artists from 43 countries.

Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center

Held at multiple traditional venues, this year's Biennial also saw performances and interventions spread throughout the streets and squares of the city. The main venue is the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, named for one of Cuba's most influential artists. Born in 1902, the same year Cuba gained independence from Spain, Lam studied art in Madrid, later fighting in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's. Afterwards, he moved to France where he fell in with Picasso, Breton and other members of the avant-garde. Returning to Cuba in 1941, Lam re-connected with the traditions of his homeland, fusing elements of Cubism and Surrealism with Afro-Cuban religious imagery. This can be seen in one of his most famous paintings "The Jungle," often compared to Picasso's "Guernica".

The Jungle

Archive: Two Notable 1301PE Group Exhibitions

In addition to the recent One Room, One Work exhibition, other notable group exhibitions at 1301PE include 'Together Again Like Never Before: The Poster Work of Michael Asher and Martin Kippenberger' from 1999 and Lincoln Tobier, Jorge Pardo, Sarah Seager, and Rirkrit Tiravanija from 1993.

In keeping with his penchant for peripheral spaces, Michael Asher presented only one poster for the exhibition which was the exhibition's invitation. All framed posters inside the gallery space were by Martin Kippenberger, ranging in date from 1978 to 1997.

Installation views

Sampling of some Kippenberger posters

Abroad: A Long Weekend in New York

1301PE artists were busy in New York this weekend. Uta Barth opened at Tanya Bonakdar. Kerry Tribe organized a performance at the Whitney Museum. Jorge Pardo had an opening at Friedrich Peztel and Blake Rayne had one at Miguel Abreu. Below are some images from the busy New York weekend.

Images from Uta's opening



Friday afternoon at Cafe Sabarsky inside the Neue Galerie



when cigarettes were elegant

Kerry Tribe performance at the Whitney. Tribe staged a performative reading of Hollis Frampton’s classic film, Critical Mass. This began with the audience witnessing the break out of an argument between a man and a woman. The second part was the reading of the transcript from the film with edits.

New work by Jorge Pardo. The installation creates a labyrinth of popular images.



and Blake Rayne

Food/Wine: Pardo's Dinner in Mardid

Saturday dinner at la Manduca in honor of Jorge Pardo. In attendance were Lynne Cooke, chief curator of the Reina Sofia, and Rina Carvajal, curator of the 2010 Sao Paolo Biennial, among others.

Cesar Reyes, Jorge Pardo and Rina Carvajal

Dirk Snauwaert, Brian Butler, Lynne Cooke and Elba Benitez

Textured brick at la Manduca

Lubina (Sea Bass)
Cochinillo confitado (Confit of baby pig)
Cordero en chilindron (Lamb in Chilindron)
Chuleton a la parrilla (Steak on the grill)
Terrina queso con membrillo sobre dondo