Article Information

• Posted By : Marcel Wah
• Posted On : Dec 01, 2009
• Views : 257
• Category : Written By Me
• Description :

  Ana Joa is a Cuban art collector living in the U.S. Her impressive Cuban art collection was acquired over a thirteen year span. Ana discovers and collects art mostly by emerging Cuban artists. Her reason: "Because they come with fresh ideas and new ways to view art."

   

  Q. How did you begin your journey into the arts?

   

  My journey into the arts began 27 years ago when I served as vice-director and later director of La Casa de la Cultura de los Estudiantes (Cultural Center) in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. I was in constant contact with artists, art instructors, and art students from different disciplines: music, dance, theater, visual arts, and literature. I then worked as a specialist in the visual arts at Galeria del Fondo De Bienes Cultural, which is one of the most important galleries in my home town of Santiago de Cuba.

   

  Q. How and when did your art collection begin?

   

  My collection started with small pieces, such as postcards I would receive from artists to thank me for promoting their work.

   

  I moved to the US in 1996. A year later, when I returned to Cuba to visit my family, the first thing I did was to buy my first artwork. Since then, for the past 13 years, I've been traveling to Cuba to see artists' works and to collect paintings from very well known and emerging artists.

   

  The first artwork I bought was a watercolor by Reignaldo Pagan. I still have it. It is one of my favorites, because the work is wonderful. The details are amazing, and the composition and subject matter are very strong. It's a precious artwork.

   

  Q. What does it mean to you to be an art collector?

   

  For me to be an art collector means to realize one of my passions. Being surrounded by art makes me feel complete.

   

  Q. Do you assign a difference to being a "Cuban art collector" versus simply an "art collector"?

   

  Yes, I do. I love art in general, but for me being a Cuban art collector is a way to be in contact with my roots and to honor the artists from my country.

   

  Q. What objects are in your art collection?

   

  I have mostly paintings, but I collect sculptures, ceramics, and photos as well.

   

  Q. Why did you choose to collect mostly Cuban art?

   

  I collect mostly Cuban Art because it is my culture, the one I identify most with and have the knowledge to understand and enjoy at the same time.

   

  Q. What artists do you collect?

   

  I collect artists from the whole island, but mostly emerging artists from the eastern side of the Island. I collect artworks by Sando, Julia Valdes, Cosmin Cruenza, Saida del Rio, Alberto Casanova, Roberto Guerra, and many others.

   

  Q. Why do you collect mostly emerging artists?

  
  Because the young artists come with fresh ideas and a different way to see art. They create new compositions, they experiment with textures, and they develop unique styles. Also, they express a specific time of their life. For me it's interesting to keep my art updated to the historical context that the artist is living.

   

  However, I must first like what they are doing. I have to feel some kind of a connection with the artist, and at the same time believe that these artists have the potential to develop and succeed. Maybe they have a future or not; however, I can still enjoy the art because it's something that I love.

   

  Some time ago, I started buying pieces from emerging artists like Roberto Guerra and Jorge Jarcas. I can see now how their careers have evolved. They have become very strong artists with a lot of recognition in Cuba and internationally.

   

  Q. Do you stay in touch with the artists you collect?

   

  Yes. After I decide to buy an artwork, the artist becomes my friend. I help them in different ways to promote their art. Because I worked in an art gallery in Cuba before, I have many excellent artists as friends. Many of them are well known, and they keep me in touch with the new artists emerging.

   

  Q. How do you acquire the art in your collection? Do you buy here in the U.S. or do you go to Cuba to buy art?

   

  I travel to Cuba to buy the art. I visit the art schools, the artists in their studios, I go to gallery exhibitions in Cuba and to the Cultural Centers. I love going to the Havana Biennale.

   

  Q. Has the market for Cuban works changed much? In what ways?

   

  For the last 50 years, there are more people and collectors interested in Cuban art. Cuban artists are well known in the art world. Cuba is a special place for collectors because it has all the right market conditions to generate value for the art world. It has exceptional artists with high level of creativity. The social and political conditions create an environment that forces artists to find unique ways to express artistic creations.

   

  Everyone who goes to Cuba is interested to buy some art. Not only because Cuba is isolated from the rest of the world, but also because it possesses all this creativity. The artists express themselves differently from other countries in the Caribbean because they are living under extreme conditions.

   

  If the relationship with the rest of the world opens, the Cuban art market is going to be big. Now it's not easy for Cuban artists to travel out of Cuba. They could not travel to the U.S. for exhibitions for many years because of the embargo. When the whole world opens and Cuban artists will be able to travel to different countries, it's going to be absolutely amazing.

   

  Q. What is important to know before purchasing an art piece?

   

  If you decide to be a collector, you have to know what you really want to collect and why you want to collect it. I recommend to anyone who wants to start a collection not to make a large investment when buying your first artwork. Buy something small and start educating yourself. Visit galleries, art fairs, and art conferences. At the galleries, you can find people that can educate you on becoming a collector. If you are an investment collector, you want to buy from established and very well known artists.

   

  Also, it's very important to follow the artists' careers before and after buying their art. It's important to know what exhibitions these artists have been in, how serious they are about their careers, and how they are trying to position themselves in the market. In Cuba, for example, there are an abundance of artists, and almost all of them are excellent. But I don't think that all of them will be successful. Not because they are not good artists, but because of the effort they put to promote themselves. I think this is an important fact to keep in mind.

   

  Q. Where do you obtain information to help you make decisions regarding current market value for Cuban art, or for the works in your collection?

   

  I worked for many years in the art galleries in Cuba. And I still have great relationships with the artists and the galleries there. I keep myself well informed about the new artists, and which artists are advancing in their art. But this information alone is not enough for me. I have to see the art, I have to meet the artists. I also read a lot of articles on Cuban art.

   

  Q. Would you identify Cuban art as a part of the Caribbean art market?

  
  You cannot separate Cuban art from Caribbean Art. I think it has the same influences: bright colors, history, culture. Cuban art expresses its African, Spanish, and Chinese influences. It's a mix of many different cultures.

   

  Q. How do you currently work with artists?

   

  I only work with artists living in Cuba. For many years now, I have been bringing their art to the U.S. and I organize exhibitions in my house, or friends' homes who are collectors as well. I also organize exhibits in collaboration with art galleries in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland, areas, as well as in embassies in DC.

   

  Because of the lack of art materials in Cuba, I help the artists buy the materials they need.

   

Overview

• Ana Joa is a Cuban art collector living in the U.S. Her impressive Cuban art collection was acquired over a thirteen year span. Ana discovers and collects art mostly by emerging Cuban artists. Her reason: "Because they come with fresh ideas and new ways to view art."

   

  Q. How did you begin your journey into the arts?

   

  My journey into the arts began 27 years ago when I served as vice-director and later director of La Casa de la Cultura de los Estudiantes (Cultural Center) in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. I was in constant contact with artists, art instructors, and art students from different disciplines: music, dance, theater, visual arts, and literature. I then worked as a specialist in the visual arts at Galeria del Fondo De Bienes Cultural, which is one of the most important galleries in my home town of Santiago de Cuba.

   

  Q. How and when did your art collection begin?

   

  My collection started with small pieces, such as postcards I would receive from artists to thank me for promoting their work.

   

  I moved to the US in 1996. A year later, when I returned to Cuba to visit my family, the first thing I did was to buy my first artwork. Since then, for the past 13 years, I've been traveling to Cuba to see artists' works and to collect paintings from very well known and emerging artists.

   

  The first artwork I bought was a watercolor by Reignaldo Pagan. I still have it. It is one of my favorites, because the work is wonderful. The details are amazing, and the composition and subject matter are very strong. It's a precious artwork.

   

  Q. What does it mean to you to be an art collector?

   

  For me to be an art collector means to realize one of my passions. Being surrounded by art makes me feel complete.

   

  Q. Do you assign a difference to being a "Cuban art collector" versus simply an "art collector"?

   

  Yes, I do. I love art in general, but for me being a Cuban art collector is a way to be in contact with my roots and to honor the artists from my country.

   

  Q. What objects are in your art collection?

   

  I have mostly paintings, but I collect sculptures, ceramics, and photos as well.

   

  Q. Why did you choose to collect mostly Cuban art?

   

  I collect mostly Cuban Art because it is my culture, the one I identify most with and have the knowledge to understand and enjoy at the same time.

   

  Q. What artists do you collect?

   

  I collect artists from the whole island, but mostly emerging artists from the eastern side of the Island. I collect artworks by Sando, Julia Valdes, Cosmin Cruenza, Saida del Rio, Alberto Casanova, Roberto Guerra, and many others.

   

  Q. Why do you collect mostly emerging artists?

  
  Because the young artists come with fresh ideas and a different way to see art. They create new compositions, they experiment with textures, and they develop unique styles. Also, they express a specific time of their life. For me it's interesting to keep my art updated to the historical context that the artist is living.

   

  However, I must first like what they are doing. I have to feel some kind of a connection with the artist, and at the same time believe that these artists have the potential to develop and succeed. Maybe they have a future or not; however, I can still enjoy the art because it's something that I love.

   

  Some time ago, I started buying pieces from emerging artists like Roberto Guerra and Jorge Jarcas. I can see now how their careers have evolved. They have become very strong artists with a lot of recognition in Cuba and internationally.

   

  Q. Do you stay in touch with the artists you collect?

   

  Yes. After I decide to buy an artwork, the artist becomes my friend. I help them in different ways to promote their art. Because I worked in an art gallery in Cuba before, I have many excellent artists as friends. Many of them are well known, and they keep me in touch with the new artists emerging.

   

  Q. How do you acquire the art in your collection? Do you buy here in the U.S. or do you go to Cuba to buy art?

   

  I travel to Cuba to buy the art. I visit the art schools, the artists in their studios, I go to gallery exhibitions in Cuba and to the Cultural Centers. I love going to the Havana Biennale.

   

  Q. Has the market for Cuban works changed much? In what ways?

   

  For the last 50 years, there are more people and collectors interested in Cuban art. Cuban artists are well known in the art world. Cuba is a special place for collectors because it has all the right market conditions to generate value for the art world. It has exceptional artists with high level of creativity. The social and political conditions create an environment that forces artists to find unique ways to express artistic creations.

   

  Everyone who goes to Cuba is interested to buy some art. Not only because Cuba is isolated from the rest of the world, but also because it possesses all this creativity. The artists express themselves differently from other countries in the Caribbean because they are living under extreme conditions.

   

  If the relationship with the rest of the world opens, the Cuban art market is going to be big. Now it's not easy for Cuban artists to travel out of Cuba. They could not travel to the U.S. for exhibitions for many years because of the embargo. When the whole world opens and Cuban artists will be able to travel to different countries, it's going to be absolutely amazing.

   

  Q. What is important to know before purchasing an art piece?

   

  If you decide to be a collector, you have to know what you really want to collect and why you want to collect it. I recommend to anyone who wants to start a collection not to make a large investment when buying your first artwork. Buy something small and start educating yourself. Visit galleries, art fairs, and art conferences. At the galleries, you can find people that can educate you on becoming a collector. If you are an investment collector, you want to buy from established and very well known artists.

   

  Also, it's very important to follow the artists' careers before and after buying their art. It's important to know what exhibitions these artists have been in, how serious they are about their careers, and how they are trying to position themselves in the market. In Cuba, for example, there are an abundance of artists, and almost all of them are excellent. But I don't think that all of them will be successful. Not because they are not good artists, but because of the effort they put to promote themselves. I think this is an important fact to keep in mind.

   

  Q. Where do you obtain information to help you make decisions regarding current market value for Cuban art, or for the works in your collection?

   

  I worked for many years in the art galleries in Cuba. And I still have great relationships with the artists and the galleries there. I keep myself well informed about the new artists, and which artists are advancing in their art. But this information alone is not enough for me. I have to see the art, I have to meet the artists. I also read a lot of articles on Cuban art.

   

  Q. Would you identify Cuban art as a part of the Caribbean art market?

  
  You cannot separate Cuban art from Caribbean Art. I think it has the same influences: bright colors, history, culture. Cuban art expresses its African, Spanish, and Chinese influences. It's a mix of many different cultures.

   

  Q. How do you currently work with artists?

   

  I only work with artists living in Cuba. For many years now, I have been bringing their art to the U.S. and I organize exhibitions in my house, or friends' homes who are collectors as well. I also organize exhibits in collaboration with art galleries in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland, areas, as well as in embassies in DC.

   

  Because of the lack of art materials in Cuba, I help the artists buy the materials they need.