Swiss gallery Nevartos highlights popularity of Cuban art.

More and more foreigners to Cuba--stumbling upon Havana's emerging art scene--are flying back home with work from contemporary artists. Sooner or later, it was inevitable that an art gallery would come along to sell such works online.

Nevartos AG, located in Zurich, began showcasing and marketing Cuban artists a few years ago, and recently set up an elaborate website: www.cubanfineart.com.

The trilingual site (in English, Spanish and German) pitches a range of contemporary Cuba-based painters and other artists, such as Eduardo Gonzalez Exposito--who had 22 of his paintings sold through the Nevartos site for undisclosed prices, and another 21 paintings currently being offered at prices ranging from $880 to $6,855 each.

Another contemporary artist, Ricardo Ponce Rodriguez, had 120 of his paintings sold through the site for undisclosed prices, and another 74 of his paintings now being offered at prices ranging from $750 to $14,720 each.

Jose Lopez Alvarez, yet another Cuban painted featured on the site, had five of his paintings sold through the site at undisclosed prices, and another 15 paintings now being offered at prices ranging from $640 to $8,000.

THE 'EBAY FOR CUBAN ARTWORK'

Ernst Helbling, the owner of CubanFine-Art.com, said his site represents dozens of up-and-coming Cuban artists, provides biographical information on some of them, and news on previous and future Cuban art exhibits worldwide.

"It's one of the most visited places for buyers of contemporary art, and it also gives every artist the chance to get in touch with all interested persons worldwide," Helbling told CubaNews. "As a matter of fact, one of our most interesting artists are two Cuban painters, Francisco Nunez and Ponce. We don't do auctions because we are a platform for artists and buyers, but I can assure you that there is an ongoing demand for Cuban art. All in all, there are over 60 Cuban artists present on our different platforms."

The thorough cataloging and pricing of available Cuban paintings has observers browsing through the site; some call it the "eBay for Cuban artwork."

Contemporary Cuban art has already gained a reputation worldwide, thanks to the internationally renown artist Wilfredo Lam, who died in 1982, as well as Cuban artists living in the United States and elsewhere. These include Jose Bedia, Manuel Mendive, Tomas Sanchez and Ernesto Pujol.

International interest for such works has been fed by exhibits in other countries such as France, Switzerland and even Japan (see CubaNews, July 2003, page 4).

For those wanting to cash in on Cuban artwork, a plane ticket to Havana was usually the way to go for most art collectors--even Americans--until the Bush administration restricted travel to most U.S. nationals.

Nevertheless, since 1991 artwork has been among the cultural and educational materials specifically exempted from the embargo, even under the most recent draconian measures that took effect Jun. 30. Those Americans who can go back and forth to Havana legally may see a future profit in packing Cuban paintings with their return luggage.

One who knows is Cuban-American art dealer Ramon Cernuda, based in Coral Gables, Fla. Cernuda says that paintings which some years ago sold for a pittance within Cuba can now garner $2,000 to well over $10,000 on the international market.

Among Cuban artists commanding such high prices is Flora Fong, who, as Cernuda notes, "is selling well." Cernuda is also showing works from various artists still living in Cuba, such as Sancti Spiritus native Ania Toledo, famous for her oil paintings that portray the lush Cuban landscape.

Cernuda cautions prospective travelers to Cuba who think they can still secure Cuban paintings at bargain-basement prices.

"Inside Cuba, it's not as cheap as it was," he said. "It's no longer like Jurassic Park, where the artists are disconnected from the rest of the world. The [Cuban art] market does not work that way anymore."

Cernuda notes that a growing number of Cuban artists travel overseas, and are getting more business-savvy. "These artists go on tour around the world, and know the market, and what their artwork is worth," he said.

Inside Cuba, artists are devoting more of their time to creating works exclusively for foreign galleries like Nevartos, Cernuda Arte and Promo-Arte in Tokyo,thanks to the higher prices those galleries can afford to pay them.

Cernuda says artists normally get about 50% of the sale price, meaning lots of cash for well-known artists like Ponce RodrIguez, who has sold 120 paintings through Nevartos.

Given Miami's increasing prominence in the international art scene, Cernuda feels upbeat about the future of Cuban art in America, though he's certainly paid his dues for promoting Cuban artists in the United States.

In 1989, some 240 Cuban paintings that he owned were confiscated by federal authorities, who accused him of purchasing such artworks in violation of the embargo. Cernuda's previous gallery, the Cuban Museum of Art & Culture, was twice bombed by presumed anti-Castro exiles opposed to the exhibition of works by artists still living in Cuba.

Fortunately for Cernuda, such hostilities have eased significantly. "The climate is definitely changing for the better," he said, adding that "art and politics should not mix."

Details: Ernst Helbling, Nevartos AG, Post-fach 235, CH-8808 Pfaeffikon, Switzerland. Tel: [phone]. URL: www.nevartos.com.

Ramon Cernuda, Cernuda Arte, 3155 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33134. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

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