Art takes the streets of Havana. From November to February 2025, the 15th edition of the Havana Art Biennial is taking place.
This Biennial occurs at a time when art is the last concern for Cubans; or maybe not.
Let’s discover together what this edition has to offer.
Havana Art Biennial
You can search online about it. I’ll tell you what it means to me. Every time this moment arrives, I feel like a child. I love exploring and rediscovering my city.
So, when the Biennial intervenes in walls, parks, and even iconic buildings, it’s time to feel like a child discovering every detail.
I enjoy walking down the street and encountering the artworks. Seeing how the piece connects with the space and the reality of Cuba is fascinating. Even more interesting is watching how people make the artworks their own.
The artwork that is installed is not the one that concludes the Biennial.
At another time, we would call it vandalism; during this time, we call it social intervention. You can come on the first day, the second, or a month later; the artwork will change every day.
Biennial 15
This edition unfolds in a complicated context. Today, art is not a priority for either the government or the people living on the island (a pity if you ask me).
Still, artists from all over the world have come to Havana to showcase their works under the sky of the Marvelous City.
In this post, you’ll see the two largest and best-located installations. But they won’t be the last you see.
Wooden Cloud
The Architecture of Dreams. Created by Martin Steinert.
It’s a whole structure made of wood. Similar works exist in various cities around the world; is there one in yours?
I don’t see a cloud; I see a bird's nest, perhaps due to the choice of material.
I still haven’t discovered what they will do with it at the end of the Biennial. But I love the concept of the piece. Every slat, every space has been intervened by the people.
In the short time I was there, over 50 people passed by the piece and left their wishes. It’s not just a work for Cubans; in fact, I found wishes in Arabic, Russian, and even Japanese.
Of course, there were the lovebirds and those wishing for a better future, but the one that couldn’t be missing was the one about migration (the most repeated).
Although the Cuban context is difficult, everyone approaches to read the wishes of those who passed by; they laugh, they write their own. Unknowingly, they enjoy the art and, above all, distract themselves from reality.Be
A round of applause for the artist, who is already a winner in my eyes. To make Havana forget everything and focus on a piece—that’s no small feat.
If you’re curious, the piece is located in Plaza Vieja. It will be there until February 28, 2026; after that, I don’t know what will happen to it.
The Tree of a Thousand Voices
Of the two, this piece is the one I liked the most. It was created by Daniel Hourdé.
The tree was transported from the Seine to Plaza de Armas. From Paris to Havana.
According to what we were told, it was disassembled in France and reassembled in the plaza. They say mounting the piece was a headache. Imagine, the piece is located next to the Templete and right in Plaza de Armas. This is the starting and finishing point for almost all tours of the city.
In summary, the leaves of the metal tree are classics of literature; the steel is polished in such a way that it forms a sort of mirror.
You can observe classics of all kinds, from Cervantes’ Don Quixote to works by George Orwell. I loved it because I could identify many of the works and their respective authors.
Some I haven’t read, but I know what they’re about. I guess I should thank my parents for that.
But beside me was a couple of the same age who couldn’t recognize many. Therefore, they disliked the piece. Honestly, I felt a bit sorry for them because they didn’t know what they were missing.
Of course, here we experienced the same thing as with the Cloud. It doesn’t matter if you knew the author or the book; there were dozens of people capturing the piece and taking away memories.
Of the two, I liked this piece a lot; I believe that a person without books is a poor person. Reading is one of the most important skills in anyone's life.
In the piece, the artist leaves this message, uniting the tree that represents life with books, the teachings of life.
Or maybe not, and I’m just going crazy.
The piece reaches a height of 12 meters; just compare it to the hotel behind it; to me, it’s beautiful.
Well, either way, both pieces have managed to break into the chaos of Havana to surprise everyone.
If you have the chance to visit them, take it. Experience the Biennial, enjoy the transformation of Havana.
Now it’s your turn; tell me about your city, your country. Do events like this happen? Do you have any photos of a piece you liked and want to share? Let me know in the comments.
In a few days, I’ll return with more works, featuring one of the oldest projects of the Havana Biennial.
Read you soon!
[dahpilot]
All images are mine
