If “The Colors of Today” conjure up to mind vivid, radiant hues, then you won’t be disappointed with Cernuda Arte’s current exhibition. Classic meets Cuba, or at least the walls of this Coral Gables gallery. “The Colors of Today,” appropriately titled, represents what is being felt at this moment in time through the eyes and minds of different artists. Cernuda Arte prides itself in showcasing Cuban art by Cuban artists whom mostly live in the estranged country. The first floor of the gallery mostly features contemporary art while the second floor, La Barbacoa, dedicates itself to the veteran masters. Sundry colors, textures, and different media types constitute the timeless illustrations posed on their walls.
Flora Fong, a contemporary artist currently residing in Cuba, depicts the tropics. Vibrant, splashes of color are found in her paintings as well as nature and its elements. Aguacero abstractly depicts a rainstorm as one of nature’s forces as it manages to capture the gusts of wind and palm trees bending, as the clouds hover above.
Sandro De La Rosa integrates elements of classic art. In Cuando Baja la Marea, the cherub, seashells, and “abanico” [fan] symbolize a mixture of the past with the new. De La Rosa serves to integrate the jumble of seashells contextualized by the pattern on the fan, juxtaposed next to a serene cherub or angel. It’s De La Rosa’s interpretation and continuation of what has come before us.
Ismael G