Rider Professor Harry I. Naar was invited to be part of an art exhibit in Cuba in February, before President Barack Obama's March visit.
LAWRENCE -- Even before President Barack Obama and his family traveled to Cuba on their historic visit, Rider Professor Harry I. Naar was invited to be part of an art exhibit on the Caribbean island.
Naar and urban artist Kelvin Lopez were paired in an exhibit titled "Nice To Meet You," curated by Marilyn Samper Rosado, of the Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales in Havana, in February.
"We both showed black and white works and they complemented each other," Naar says. "He had one side and I had the other. Mine were landscapes and his were houses abandoned during the Revolution."
It all came about when, on a visit to the U.S., Rosado saw Naar's work and soon put forth the invitation.
"What was really interesting is that the work I showed was all large drawings and I had to take them off the stretchers. I rolled five paintings in a tube and carried them with me on the plane," Naar said. "It was sixty-five inches tall and really unwieldy. They stored them in one of the coat closets in first class."
Because Naar went as a visiting artist, he had no problems entering or leaving.
"Right now there are only two flights a week," Naar said. "Because of the embargo, it's restricted for Americans as to how much money can be brought into the country. No credit cards can be used and the dollar exchange is in Cuba's favor."
The Naars - he made the trip with his wife - stayed as guests in an apartment the other exhibiting artist owns.
"What we found interesting is Cuba has been getting people from all over the world going there to visit for decades except Americans. The Cuban people don't have many supplies or equipment," Naar said.
"They go to Miami to get things and bring them back. The people are really nice but they struggle. The average pay for a Cuban is about $24 a month. Living is not cheap there for tourists who must use a currency different from the local one. Everything--other than fruit--is expensive," he said.
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Naar said he and his wife walked everywhere and spent a lot of time walking around looking at art. "Especially at night, people keep their doors open and you can see in and we'd see an artist working in simple studio spaces. I remember walking by one place and we saw a man working on a tropical scene like a Henri Rousseau painting."
"We went in and he discussed his work. It was beautifully painted despite a very limited supply of paints," he said. "He came to the opening."
Of Havana, he said: "There are incredible buildings with wonderful decorative elements and beautiful materials like marble and tiles but they are crumbling inside and out."
The "Nice To Meet You" exhibition was held in a building with many exhibit spaces that have stone floors and white walls.
Describing the formal opening, Naar says the doors to the exhibition space stayed closed while, in the lobby, he presented an introductions to his work.
Naar's wife Barbara, who speaks Spanish, translated his remarks. After the presentation the doors were ceremoniously opened.
The exhibition was heavily attended and included people from the American Embassy, he said.
"For me, it was very exciting to exhibit in Cuba," Naar. "The people were excited to see my work. It was a wonderful experience."
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