The Old and The New in Havana
Following her participation at the 12th Havana Biennale (La Bienal de la Habana), Beatriz Gerenstein was invited to have a solo exhibition at the Cuban “Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas” (National Museum of Decorative Arts). The exhibition was held from December 8, 2015, to January 6, 2016.
The Concept
The exhibition was named Lo Nuevo y lo Viejo (The Old and the New) after one of Gerentein’s sculptures showed in the exhibition. This sculpture was selected by Gerenstein to be the central piece of the exhibition due to its significance. The Old and the New is a contemporary bronze sculpture by Beatriz Gerenstein where the artist opens a humorous dialog about something that concerns everyone: the unavoidable passage of time, the changes in the history and the society.
The Sculpture
The Old and The New shows two badly bent tubes, with wrinkles and stains in the patina. In the back, a beautiful, strong, bright and clean tube appears emphasizing the difference, the Old and the New. The other sculptures are a reflection of Gerenstein’s esthetic values and social compromise. Love, friendship, feminism, and spirituality were themes of the exhibition.
The Installation
The exhibition was held at the invitational wing of the museum. The big windows around the exhibition room allow visual contrast with the beautiful gardens of the 90 years-old palazzo and were a perfect match to the contemporary sculptures.
