The Greatest Singer in Cuban History
Inspired by a trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario
Hey folks,
Welcome to all those who joined us over the weekend. Please don’t be shy; say hello in the comments. 👇
I visited the Art Gallery of Ontario yesterday. Entry was 25 CAD for adults, but as a permanent resident, I qualified for a program that grants one year of free entry to several museums. I ate a quick brunch and made my way by subway to St. Patrick on Dundas street.
I crossed the street and made my way to the gallery. After checking in my backpack, I went through the different exhibits. I took a few pictures of the paintings and statues, but I’m not posting any here due to copyright rules.
I loved the respect that the gallery patrons had for the exhibits. They kept a mindful distance from the artwork; some had their arms folded behind their backs. I saw the beautiful painting called Vétheuil in Summer (1879) by French artist Claude Monet. Imagine that: I was standing a foot away from an original painting done by one of the most famous artists in human history!
Two standout exhibitions: Fade Resistance Collection by Zun Lee and Double Time by Ed Pien
The first exhibition, Fade Resistance Collection, is a tribute to the struggles of Black Americans chronicled from the 1950s onwards. In 2012, Zun Lee, the curator, found several discarded Polaroids of private moments of Black Americans on the streets of Detroit.1 The exhibition features over 500 Polaroids of intimate life moments: weddings, pictures with grandmas, friends huddled at a table, and many more. Sadly, very little is known about the people in these photographs, and more importantly, how these Polaroids were lost. The Gallery has printed these on cardboard and allowed patrons to write a message to the subjects on the back of these cards, or a message about the emotions these pictures have evoked. I saw messages of love, longing, and nostalgia written on the backs of these printed cards. The Gallery invited patrons to take home a card that resonated. I took this one.
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The second exhibition was by Ed Pien, and focused on the life of Cubans; specifically the infleunce of music and furniture.2 The interesting thing here was the signs that encouraged patrons to sit on the furniture that was part of the installation.
Ed Pien interviewed 5 participants in Cuba and recorded them enjoying a track twice over a period of ten days. A gentleman named Barroso chose a track called Te Quedaras by Beny Moré. Moré is considered by reviewers and critics alike in Cuba as the country’s greatest musician.
The man’s story is a revelation: he was the eldest of 18 siblings, lived on the edge of poverty, was booed off stage, and was denied gigs because he was black. Nevertheless, he persevered and formed his own orchestra called Banda Gigante, and toured the US and countries in Latin America. He succumbed to alcoholism at just 43 years of age.3
A short note on the music choices on ‘What’s Curation?’
This newsletter is a deeply personal project and the tracks I share with you all come from lived experiences in some way, shape, or form. They’re tracks I’ve listened to when I’ve experienced homesickness in college; when I’d traveled across India on trains; as I met new people and discovered new places. In many ways, it is a diary of music that defines me as an Indian, an immigrant, a copywriter, and a human being looking to find meaning and love. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
See you Friday.
-Nikhil. 🧡
AGO website article on Zun Lee. Accessed 16 October 2022.
AGO website article on Ed Pien. Accessed 16 October 2022.
Always enjoy traveling on the journey with you.
It's always sad to read about great singers who passed away so young. Thanks for recommending him, will definitely give him a listen