During the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s, which coincided with the beginning of the Cold War and the emergence of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961, printmaking became an important tool for political propaganda and activism. Several print workshops were founded during this period, including the Experimental Graphic Workshop of Havana (Taller Experimental de Gráfica de La Habana), which is still active today, where artists learned printmaking techniques and created a space for political and social criticism through art.

Organised as part of Guest Appearance:

Public lecture:
11.00–12.00, MGLC Grad Tivoli:
Smoke Rings in the (R) Evolution of Cuban Printmaking

What are the sources of inspiration for Cuban printmaking in both historical and recent times, and what underlines current trends? The topics of our discussion will include the changes, techniques and interplays between art, the tobacco industry, posters and printing.

Admission free. Registration to trgovina@mglc-lj.si.

Experimental printmaking workshop:
12.30–18.00, MGLC Print Studio:
Smoke Curtains, Artist Book

We will produce an A4 artist's book in the linocut and chine-collé techniques (using cigar labels/cigarette stickers) in an edition of 9 copies (for all participants and two for the archive of the Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts).

Maximum seven participants per workshop. Suitable for art professionals, experienced art lovers and art students.

Please register with a short description of yourself after 3 January 2024 to lili.sturm@mglc-lj.si.

Registration fee: 25 EUR.
Please note that the workshop registration fee comes with a special gift: a 2024 annual membership to the Friends of the Biennale Club.

The lecture and workshop are conducted by Yamilys Brito Jorge, artist and Director of the Experimental Graphic Workshop of Havana, in English.
Yamilys Brito Jorge was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1972. She graduated from the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro in Havana in 1991 and received her degree from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in 1996. She is most known for her series of prints, which are typically monotypes or collages, as well as for her pen and ink drawings. By piecing together symbols and images from Cuba's history, architecture, folklore and traditions, she creates mixed media prints that explore concepts ranging from memory, isolation and nostalgia to homeland and national identity. She has been teaching printmaking for over 20 years and her artworks have been exhibited in Cuba, the United States, Haiti, Spain, France and Germany. Yamilys brings with her a wealth of knowledge. She is in full command of her skills and finds a fine balance between the technical and the playful to express a voice uniquely her own.

She explains:
"My work is always on paper. I enjoy the possibilities that this medium has to offer. I love the memorabilia of other countries – old filmstrips, theatre tickets, vintage postcards, photographs, posters and old handwritten letters. My work is made of mementoes, vestiges and souvenirs, all collectable pieces of heart, soul and time. For me, reality is stronger than everything. I approach my work utilising all the graphic techniques and skills, and when creating my works, I can combine three or four procedures at the same time."

More about the artist on Instagram: #yamilysbritojorge