Page |1

Art can have very powerful social and political messages. I have always enjoyed searching for the deeper hidden meanings in art. I have always been amazed by the fact that a simple line strategically placed can be made to be more than itself and hold a great amount of meaning. There is always a message in art, some messages are easier to figure than others. I chose Fly Away by Esterio Segura because his work is powerful and simple. His work speaks not just for himself but for all the people of Cuba. He is a lifelong artist whose artwork is greatly inspired by his home and countrys history. Esterio Segura was born and still resides in Santiago de Cuba in 1970. He graduated from the Visual Arts Elementary School in 1985, the Professional School of Arts in Camaguey in 1989, and graduated with a degree in Sculpture from the Superior Institute of Art (ISA) in 1994. He later taught in the University of South Florida and the Higher Art Institute. His work has been exhibited extensively in Cuba, the United States, England, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Argentina, and elsewhere in the world (Soderqvist). Among his most outstanding solo exhibitions are Lost Luggage (National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba, 2009) and Space Occupied by a Dream (Wifredo Lam Center of Contemporary Art, Havana, 1999). He has been Artist in Residence at different institutions like the University of South Florida in the US (2005), el Ludwig Forum in Aachen in Germany (1997), and the Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada (1996) (Cuban Visions). Mr. Segura is considered a Contemporary artist, not just because he started after 1970 but because his work is socially conscious. Mr. Segura works in painting, sculpture and installation, he makes use of humorous imagery to address socially and politically charged themes from Cuban history (Soderqvist). Mr. Seguras most recent work is said to address Cubas isolation, constraint, and impotence against various forms of restrictions, such as travel prohibition to and from the island and the struggle by Cubans to communicate with the outside world. Crowded with fantastic ideas and strong images, Seguras work resonates with the angst of the Cuban people. Yet it is resolved in such a poetic way that the resilient beauty and creativity of life on the island is made clear. (Zimmerer) He often uses vehicles and planes as a recurrent motif to represent the idea of flying as a metaphor of freedom and the ideals of modernity, combining philosophical concepts and kitsch aesthetics (TheWaveCatalog). I did some reading on Cuban history and found for awhile Fidel Castro did allow people who desired to leave the country the ability to do so. As of 2002 about 1.2 million people with Cuban backgrounds lived in the United States, about 10% of Cubas population today. Many leave Cuba in small, unsafe boats and planes. I never thought much about Cuba as a country beyond what I learned about in history class in high school. I certainly never thought about what it must be like living there. For awhile during Mr. Seguras youth Cuba was experiencing food shortages and refused

Page |2

donations of food, medicine and money from America. The government swiftly dealt with protestors and imprisoned a large number of civil activists. Reading about Cubas history, especially during the time of Esterio Seguras life has given me great insight in to inspiration of his work. The people in his country truly have suffered and are truly isolated. The work of art that I chose was titled Fly Away / Echar a volar. It belongs to a series of paintings by Mr. Segura that uses different elements such as hybrid animals with airplane wings or anthropomorphic modes of transportation to address the isolation of his country. Frozen Clocks and Megaphones locked in cages to illustrate how Cuba is frozen in time and how the voices of the people are silenced. The piece I chose to do my paper on displays a man with the head of an airplane. Considering Mr. Seguras work so far I think it is supposed to illustrate the Cuban peoples desire to escape. Long black lines shoot from the engines of the plane make it seem as if the hybrid is moments away from shooting off the canvas. I noticed the piece from across the room, upon closer and more thoughtful inspection I found it to be very moving, even before reading about Mr. Seguras history and what he was trying to convey. Everyone a some point in their lives feels the need to escape as the hybrid is doing. The torso of the hybrid is very defined and muscled, which in my opinion conveys a great amount of strength. While people may feel the desire to escape, it must also take a lot of strength and courage to remove yourself from all you have ever known on the chance that you might have better life as some Cubans do. The piece is charcoal on canvas and the shading really helps to give the piece depth and emotion. The use of charcoal makes the piece earthier; it makes the hybrid seem more real in a way. This piece and others of Mr. Segura almost remind me of political cartoons. Political Cartoons are usually outlandish but always have a political or social message, like Mr. Seguras work. At first the hybrid may seem a little bizarre. I chose this piece because of how bizarre it was to me. It definitely catches your attention, but in a way that is more thought provoking than desperately calling for attention. I saw another piece of his that was very similar to Fly Away and it made me connect his work with Political Cartoons. Instead of a man/airplane it was of a car with the wings of an airplane. It was titled Todos Quisieron volar: Hibrido de limo Chrysler New Yorker / Everyone would want to fly, Hybrid of Chrysler New Yorker limousine. It was more humorous, almost satirical, than Fly Away but nonetheless it was interesting. I greatly admire Esterio Segura, not just because of his talent but because of what he does with his talent. His work is viewed all around the world and truly represents his people struggles and desires. His artwork is always powerful and it always has a message. I also admire his decision to stay in Cuba, he has been all over

Page |3

the world and still Cuba is his home and inspiration. Many people in countries like Cuba are reaching out, tired of being isolated and mistreated by their government they rebel and protest like the people in Egypt did. I wonder if the people of Cuba will do the same. Fly Away inspired me to write about and to make myself knowledgeable about his country. His artwork is a more subtle form of activism. It is relatable, not just to people who reside in Cuba, but to anyone whos ever felt isolated or had their voiced quieted. His work has inspired countless others