During a visit to the National Gallery in the United Kingdom, Pablo Ginarte, Chargé d'Affaires a.i., and Adislenes Ruenes, Head of Cultural and Academic Affairs, were received by Jane Knowles, Director of Public Relations at the National Gallery, with the aim of exploring opportunities for exchange and collaboration between Cuban institutions and this prestigious British centre.
During the meeting, possibilities for collaboration in various areas were explored, such as technical exchanges between specialists in the conservation and preservation of artistic heritage; the design of joint programmes to share best practices, methodologies and state-of-the-art technologies in the care of pictorial collections; access to virtual catalogues of the works of the Museum of Fine Arts, among other possibilities.
At the meeting, our delegation presented the main cultural institutions with a long history in Cuba, including the Fine Arts Museums of Havana. It also detailed the work of the University of the Arts (ISA) and the technical schools of plastic arts and artistic crafts, which train new generations of conservators, restorers and curators. The work of the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana and its counterpart in Santiago de Cuba, organisations recognised by UNESCO for their contribution to the safeguarding of architectural and cultural heritage, was also highlighted.
For its part, the British National Gallery, founded in 1824 and successively expanded over two centuries, reiterated its openness to exploring possibilities for strengthening ties with Cuban institutions, both in research projects and in professional training programmes.
Another central theme of the meeting was the figure of Wifredo Lam, one of Cuba's most internationally renowned artists. His contributions to 20th-century art were reviewed and the presence of his works in leading museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Reina Sofía National Art Museum in Madrid was highlighted.
In recognition of his legacy, the Embassy presented the National Gallery with a commemorative book dedicated to Lam, published by Editorial José Martí in collaboration with the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana.
This exchange with the National Gallery reinforces the Cuban Embassy in the United Kingdom's commitment to promoting cultural and academic diplomacy and dialogue between specialists and audiences from both nations. We will continue to promote Cuba's rich artistic heritage and strengthen ties of friendship and solidarity with the British people.