Retrospective of Vigía publishing house on its 30th anniversary

Retrospective of Vigía (1985-2015), curated and directed by Liliam Cedeño, recreates at its full extent the materials used by the craftsmen of the institution to make books, plaquettes, scrolls and postcards, most of them present in the sample as a living memory.

Laura Ruiz, poet, writer and editor wrote the following in the catalog notes: “Texts written, designed, saved…torn papers, a guillotine which does not cut so much, a wooden staircase, former rotating bridge which does no longer move, handmade paper, brushes, backs folded on the table…” and she sums up in fresh prose the essence of Vigía.

With a batch of young designers in the last times, the festivity for the three decades is dedicated to them, said Agustina Ponce, director of the publishing house, who thanked the Matanzas inhabitants for being part of the stories told all along these years, that will remain alive for the future generations.

A fashion parade by the Cuban Trashion project created in 2014 by artists of the Higher Art Institute (in Spanish, ISA), with models conceived with disposable materials, as Vigia makes each and every of its books, took place at the City Founding Square.

Furthermore, a group of round tables, lectures, exhibitions, trova concerts and presentations of manufactured, enlightened and handed enumerated books will be developed until April 30, on the banks of San Juan river, and in other institutions surrounding Matanzas historical site.

Meanwhile, the exhibition related to unique books, one of the novelties of the event, will be open to all next Monday, at the art museum of the city.

Since April, 1985, books written by remarkable Cuban intellectuals, such as Eliseo Diego, Cintio Vitier, Fina García Marruz, Carilda Oliver Labra, Miguel Barnet and Roberto Fernández Retamar, even youngest poets, writers and artists, were published by this publishing house.

Translation: Roxana Marquez Herrera (Cubarte)