Interview With an Imprisoned Artist

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Categories: Artists | Painters | Artists Art Humor Age: 7 until 13 year 14 until 18 year 19 until 30 year 31 until 64 years 65 and older

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Good morning. 🌤️ Today we begin with a rare interview with imprisoned Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who's been held in the Guanajay maximum security prison since July of 2021. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

April 19, 2023

Good morning. 🌤️ Today we begin with a rare interview with imprisoned Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who's been held in the Guanajay maximum security prison since July of 2021. He talks with curator Claudia Genlui Hidalgo about his latest artwork, which involves visually representing and selling his time behind bars. The interview is available in English and Spanish.

Elsewhere, Italy announced that it plans to charge admission for Rome's Pantheon, breaking with almost 2,000 years of free entry. Historian Christopher Siwicki, who specializes in Classical Roman architecture, explains why it's not a good idea.

And remember the Hirshhorn Museum and MTV's art world reality TV show The Exhibit? Our news team got the show's ratings for you, and they're not flattering.

There's that and a lot more, including video and photography from China's early 2000s economic boom and a show that explores the charged concept of ugliness.

— Hakim Bishara, Senior Editor

Can You Buy the Time of a Political Prisoner?

Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who remains behind bars at the Guanajay maximum security prison, talks to Claudia Genlui Hidalgo about his latest — and unconventional — project. | Claudia Genlui Hidalgo

Wrightwood 659 Welcomes Three New Exhibitions

Kongkee: Warring States Cyberpunk, Shahidul Alam: Singed But Not Burnt, and Patric McCoy: Take My Picture are on view at the Chicago art space. Learn more.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Banners outside the exhibition Burn It Down: Communications of Resistance at 4Most Gallery (courtesy Florida Prison Solidarity)

The University of Florida’s off-campus art gallery was vandalized after the school asked its curator to take down banners criticizing the local police.

A new Florida bill would allow civilians to sue local governments over the removal of Confederate monuments.