La Luch / The Struggle is an exhibit which consists of photographs by award winning photographer Laurence Salzmann with naive paintings by Cuban artist Luis El Estudiante that portrays Cuban youth culture. The photographs and paintings depict training of wrestlers in the city of Santiago de Cuba.
By documenting the daily life of these young Cuban wrestlers, the photographer and painter give the viewer a renewed perspective of Cuban culture– one that differs from popular stereotypes of that nation.
DETAILS
The exhibit consists of 26 20”x20” photographs framed in plexiglass, 26”x28”
with a selection of twelve 10”x10” oil paintings by Luis el Estudiante.
This exhibit was first shown at TALLER PUERTORIQUEÑO* [October 2001] in Philadelphia.
Get the Exhibition Brochure
RENTAL CONTACT
LAURENCE SALZMANN
laurencesalzmann@gmail.com
Rental fee available on request.
Luis El Estudiante, from Santiago de Cuba, presents a whimsical insiders view of the young wrestlers in training. Salzmann, an American, sees the wrestlers as a metaphor for the larger struggle that confronts not only Cuba but our world today. Both artists’ work reveals universals that illustrate our common humanity.
*La Lucha / The Stuggle was shown as an exhibit at Tallerpuertorriqueño, Inc. as part of the 2001 El Festival Cubano. The festival which ran from 2001-2004 was initiated by Moonstone, Inc. and created enduring cultural connections between artists of Santiago de Cuba and Philadelphia.
The exhibition at Taller was a site specific installation designed by Hiroshi Iwasaki to capture the ambiance of the Aurelia Janet gym in Santiago de Cuba where the photographs and film for La Lucha were made. Curator for the show was Anabelle Rodríguez.
I am grateful to Carmen Febo-San Miguel, M.D., Taller's director, for having this exhibit in their space.
Laurence Salzmann
Study Guide
A printable PDF of the Study Guide can be downloaded by clicking on this link:
Study Guide PDF
Click on this link for a Spanish language version of the study guide:
La Guía de Estudio PDF
Save the PDF file to a location on your computer.
The photographs and paintings in the La Lucha series serve as a springboard to learning and discussion for students at all levels. In viewing La Lucha/The Struggle, students will be able to observe and critique the different artistic choices made by the photographer and the painter. Concepts such as perspective, composition, and interpretation can be illustrated and explored.
The La Lucha series gives students an extraordinary window into life in contemporary Cuba. The visual content of La Lucha will motivate students to learn more about the country in which the photos were taken. Furthermore, this intimate view of Cuba provides the opportunity for students to reflect on the customs, values, and concerns that govern their own lives. A standards-based study guide containing lesson plans and additional resources is available as a companion to this book.
This study guide has been prepared by Amy Cohen of the
Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia, Pa.