CUBA TODAY: Through the Eyes of Twelve Photographers

The Monmouth Museum presents

CUBA TODAY: Through the Eyes of Twelve Photographers

“Cuba is a photographer’s paradise” said Marsha Michel, one of twelve photographers coming to the Monmouth Museum this March. Their journeys have taken them from Santiago De Cuba and Guantanamo in the East, to Camaguey, Trinidad, Santa Clara, and Havana in the West. Their work offers us an opportunity to see Cuba with new eyes. Their images are a testament to the richness of the Cuban people's heritage, culture, history, diversity, and ingenuity as well as the Cuban government’s reminders of their revolution and the U.S. Trade Embargo. Peter Tilgner, the curator for this show, will have you coming away with the realization that Cuba is much more than old cars and cigars.

CUBA TODAY: Through the Eyes of Twelve Photographers opens with an artists’ reception on Sunday, March 18th from 4 – 6 pm at the Museum, located at 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ on the campus of Brookdale Community College (Parking Lot 1). The Opening Reception is free to the public and refreshments will be served. CUBA TODAY runs through Sunday, May 20th. The Museum’s Main Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, Fridays 10 am – 9 pm and Sundays 12 noon – 5 pm. Admission is $8.

The twelve artist featured in this exhibition are: Barbara Berger Brill of Englewood, NJ ; Cyndie J. Burkhardt of New York City; Constance Stirling-Engman of Ithaca, NY; E. Jan Kounitz of Jersey City, NJ; Marsha Michel of Old Tappan, NJ; Nancy Ori of Berkeley Heights, NJ; Franc Palaia of Rhinebeck, NY; Karen Rossen of River Vale, NJ; Jay Seldin of Montclair, NJ; Heidi Sussman of West Orange, NJ; and Exhibition Curator, Peter Tilgner of Tenafly, NJ. These artists all brought their own personal experiences and perspectives to their visit. Some of their comments include:

What I encountered left me spellbound. – Barbara Berger Brill

The spirit of the people left the biggest impression – Cyndie J. Burkhardt

The people will always be Cuba’s greatest asset – E. Jan Kounit.

They were so welcoming, it was easy to make beautiful portraits – Nancy J. Ori

It’s hard to be unhappy when you hear such beautiful sounds rising from the ruins. – Heidi Sussman

A Panel Discussion will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 7:00 pm at the Monmouth Museum. It is Free and Open to the public.

Nancy J. Ori, a student of Ansel Adams, and one of the photographers in the exhibition, stated that “Art gives us a history and our history gives us art” Her photographs are images of the people in Cuba, who symbolize the life and spirit there. They represent a microcosm of hope and fear. The old, as well as the young, are united by a look of life experience. “They have weathered the test of time. They stand as quiet voices that tell of the harsh realities of life and of sacrifices made by the common man. Through these images we see vulnerability and endurance. There is a beauty that reveals itself through these kinds of observations. Their hopes and fears may have come and gone but these images remain as reminders of the many pieces there are to the puzzle of Cuba.” Nancy Ori will present Cuba: Observations of a Photographer, an Artist Talk on Monday, May 14, from 10:30-12:00pm, Free for Museum members and 2 guests. Call for more information: 732-224-1992.

On Saturday, May 5, there will be a Cuba Today: Modern Dance Performance at 6pm starting with a Museum Reception followed by the performance in Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center Theater, located right next to the Museum at 7pm. Brookdale Community College Dance Club Ensemble will perform student choreography based on the exhibition CUBA TODAY. The performance will be curated by Doreen Laperdon Addison, Dance Adjunct and Dance Club Advisor and will also feature guest choreographer Jill Molinaro and her company the Jill Molinaro Modern Dance Company. The reception and dance performance are Free and open to the public.

Attached 1st image: Bananas, by Marsha Michel, whose photos captures a moment in time.

2nd image: Working It by Nancy J. Ori, holding an artist talk on Monday, May 14th, 10:30-12.

3rd image: School Yard by Peter Tilgner, curator of the exhibition.

4th image: Going Home by Barbara Berger Brill, who stated “What I encountered left me spellbound.”

The Monmouth Museum, an independent, non-profit organization was founded in 1963 as a Museum of Ideas, presents changing art, history and science exhibitions to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and life-long learning to the diverse community it serves.

For more information about the Museum exhibits and programs visit their website at www.monmouthmuseum.org or call 732-747-2266. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.