Belkis Ayón, Nlloro, 1991
Belkis Ayón (1967–1999) is one of Cuba’s most prominent artists. The exhibition presents creative highlights from her brief career, from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s.
Ayón worked with collography, a graphic printing technique that she refined and used in an innovative manner to expand both expression and format. The figures, symbols and rituals that feature in Ayón’s monumental works are drawn from the Abakuá, a secretive Afro-Cuban brotherhood that she explored throughout her artistic career. Her interpretations of Abakuá mythology introduce ideas about the amalgamation of religions and belief systems. She reveals the power of myths, while radically transforming and challenging these narratives. Ayón’s iconic works create their own universe of traditions, hierarchies and worldviews.
Belkis Ayón / Mythologies is the first Nordic presentation of the artist’s work. The exhibition has been produced by Bildmuseet in collaboration with The Gund at Kenyon College in Ohio, USA.
With thanks to the Belkis Ayón Estate, Havana, and to Modern Art Oxford.
