[spectre] FWD: An open letter to American cultural institutions, arts professionals, journalists, and various Cubaphiles

[Andreas Broeckmann]

(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
> 	
> 	
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