(by Coco Fusco, via e-flux)
December 02, 2020
*An open letter to American cultural institutions, arts professionals,
journalists, and various Cubaphiles*
This morning, Cuban artist Tania Bruguera was threatened once again by
state security agents for her role in the historic November 27 meeting
between Cuban artists and state officials about state repression of the
cultural sector. Cuban journalist Carlos Manuel Alvarez, who has been
reporting on the hunger strike by art-activists that preceded the
November 27 meeting for/El País/ and /The Washington Post/, is being
demonized on Cuban state media. These intimidation tactics are likely to
be a prelude to formal charges being brought against both of them as
well as others, followed by arrests and possible imprisonment.
Both Bruguera and Alvarez are being called mercenaries paid by American
foundations and state agencies to destabilize the Cuban revolution.
Other artists that were involved in the November 27 discussion are also
being targeted by Cuban state media. Among the original group of Cubans
that declared hunger strike in protest of the arrest of rapper Denis
Solis, several are still under house arrest. Luis Manuel Otero
Alcantara, one of the hunger strikers, was just arrested again today
after daring to walk outside. Many will say this is just a Cuban issue,
but it is not. I am asking Americans to stop pretending that your
silence has no political consequences. Bruguera and Alvarez are among
the best-known Cubans outside the country and are being targeted
precisely because they are known in the United States, precisely because
they have been supported by the American institutions. This is indeed an
American problem as much as a Cuban one.
What else has to happen in order for American foundations, museums and
newspapers that have supported Tania Bruguera and Carlos Manuel Alvarez
to speak out about this situation? Where are all the museum curators
that gush about Tania's work? Where is MoMA? Where are the collectors
that have bought it? Where are the editors that have published Carlos
Manuel Alvarez? Where are the funders that have given Bruguera and
Alvarez grants and awards? Let me name a few of the benefactors so as
not be to be unnecessarily vague: The Guggenheim Foundation, The Herb
Alpert Foundation, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Cisneros
Foundation, The Meadows Foundation, and The Open Society Foundation in
philanthropy. The /New York Times/, /Vice/, and Greywolf Press in
publishing. Where are the Black Lives Matter leaders that took time to
salute Fidel upon his death but say nothing about police brutality
against Black artists in Cuba? Why does American progressive media
ignore this? There has been nothing about this in /The Nation/, /Mother
Jones/, /In These Times/, /The Intercept/, /Democracy Now/, /Latino USA/
or /Remezcla/ or/Radio Ambulante/.
To all those Americans that shower me with questions about Cuba geared
to satisfy their touristic urges or their political delusions, when will
you answer my questions about your silence on the issues that matter
most? I'm not the tour guide you want, but I may be the tour guide you
need in order to wake up.
-Coco Fusco
December 2, 2020
e-flux
311 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002, USA
https://email.e-flux.com/
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