The latest curatorial endeavor by the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (MoCAA) marks a historic first: a selection of works by Cuban artists—most of them based in South Florida—is set to travel beyond U.S. borders. This initiative is part of a broader vision developed since early 2024, aimed at promoting the work of these artists throughout South America and Europe. Preliminary arrangements have already been made for a series of exhibitions. The first countries to welcome this artistic delegation are Brazil, Spain, and Ecuador. Looking ahead to 2026, MoCAA is exploring opportunities in Chile, Mexico, and Costa Rica, in addition to this year’s destinations.
The inaugural exhibition, titled Across the Divide: Cuban Artists from Both Shores, will open on April 1, 2025. It is curated by Ivonne Ferrer, MoCAA’s Deputy Director and Director of the Fine Arts Ceramic Center, and Jorge Rodriguez, Chief Curator of the museum. Selected members of the museum’s staff will accompany the show as it travels.
The exhibition features paintings and photographs. Among the painters are Leticia Sánchez Toledo, José Franco, Reynerio Tamayo, Ciro Quintana, José Bedia, Ana A. Delgado, Aldo Menéndez, Ivonne Ferrer, Carmen Herrera, Noel Dobarganes, Luis Cruz Azaceta, Carlos Estévez, Rubén Torres Llorca, Pedro Ávila, Jorge Rodriguez (R10), and Milena Martínez Pedrosa. The photography selection includes works by Osiris Cisneros, Panol de la Vega, Linet Sánchez, Cirenaica Moreira, Eduardo García, Lianet Martínez, Carlos Enrique Prado, Luidmila Velasco, and René Peña.
Artists were selected not only for the strength of their individual practices but also for their sustained engagement with the institution. The curatorial team also included artists living and working outside the U.S., particularly in Cuba and Spain, to ensure a more comprehensive representation.
It is worth remembering that MoCAA, based in Kendall and home to the Rodriguez Collection, preserves and promotes artworks by many Cuban artists active both in the United States and abroad. These works are indispensable to any complete and accurate understanding of the history of Cuban visual arts. MoCAA’s collecting strategy has always embraced a historicist approach, focused on documenting significant artistic movements in Cuba and beyond, and on gathering works produced during those key moments. Its curators and researchers seek to trace parallels and distinctions between works, styles, and movements on both shores, bringing greater clarity and critical depth to the study of Cuban art as a whole—without privileging individual names.
The museum’s core curatorial mission has long been to spotlight art that has been systematically overlooked by official cultural institutions in Cuba—art that has not been properly studied or catalogued in universities or academic centers, and that remains largely unknown to many scholars, collectors, and professionals in Europe and elsewhere. Equally important is the inclusion of artists working on the island, whose creations have often lacked adequate international exposure. Addressing this imbalance is a second key priority for the curatorial team.
Last but certainly not least, MoCAA embraces the responsibility of telling stories from multiple perspectives. Showcasing only art endorsed by the Cuban state—or, conversely, only art from the diaspora—would promote a one-sided view of Cuban reality. Presenting both allows for a richer, more nuanced curatorial discourse. Art produced in exile and art created on the island emerge from different contexts, yet both are equally valid and necessary. MoCAA’s curatorial direction seeks to establish a space for memory—one that resists the erasure of any part of Cuba’s cultural narrative. Art must remain a territory of freedom, and defending freedom of expression is vital, especially in a context where it has often been restricted on both shores. This commitment sends a powerful message of openness and respect for artistic creation, unbound by ideological constraints.