Havana’s seafront becomes an open-air art gallery

 One of the most popular and reviewed shows at Havana’s 15th Art Biennial is the collective exhibition "Behind the Wall", which has turned the Malecón seafront route into an extensive open-air gallery. 

Over the few kilometers bordering the capital municipalities of Old Havana and Central Havana, both on the sidewalk and in several buildings facing the sea, the passerby can enjoy themselves by contemplating attractive works of art.

“Dedelmu” (the Spanish abbreviation for Detrás del Muro or Behind the Wall) stands in sharp contrast with the city’s everyday life, while livening up the area chosen for this exhibition, spanning from Antonio Maceo Park to the Castillo de la Punta.

The exhibition reminds us that “The City of Columns”, as the renowned Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier once baptized it, is still alive boasting architectural eclecticism, and often decaying buildings where old and modern still go hand in hand.

As Pepe Fernández, one of the curators of Dedelmu, explained to Prensa Latina, the exhibition “Acera Sur” features sculptures, installations, mural paintings, construction projects, performances, video-mapping programming, as well as community work resulting in artistic creation workshops.

In this large open-air gallery, more than 50 artists from 14 countries are exhibiting their works, namely Cuba, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia and Venezuela.

The Havana Biennial will be running from November 15 through February 28, 2025, showing exhibitions in various spaces in the city, such as the National Museum of Fine Arts (Universal Art and Cuban Art buildings), the Cultural Station on Linea and 18 streets, and the José Martí National Library, among others.