La Capacidad de Soñar / The Ability to Dream – A Landmark Exhibition of Cuban Contemporary Art celebrates A decade of art and culture with 40 Cuban Artists.
In 2015, GALLERIA CONTINUA became the first international contemporary art gallery to establish a permanent space in Cuba. Ten years later, it celebrates this milestone with La Capacidad de Soñar / The Ability to Dream—a major group exhibition showcasing 40 Cuban artists. Held throughout May 2025 at Arte CONTINUA Habana in Havana’s Chinatown, the event features exhibitions, performances, and public programs that reflect the richness and dynamism of Cuba’s contemporary art scene.
The gallery’s journey in Cuba began with Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Third Paradise performance in Havana on December 16, 2014—just one day before the historic Cuba-U.S. diplomatic announcement. This poetic coincidence set the tone for GALLERIA CONTINUA’s mission: to create art that bridges cultures, fosters dialogue, and transcends borders.
Photo by Lorenzo Fiaschi
Courtesy: GALLERIA CONTINU
Since then, the gallery has brought international artists like Anish Kapoor, JR, and Jannis Kounellis to Cuba, while supporting Cuban artists including Carlos Garaicoa, Yoan Capote, Elizabet Cerviño, and José Yaque. Educational programs, public interventions like Daniel Buren’s Promenades à La Havane, and initiatives such as Artista x Artistahave further established the gallery as a force for cultural exchange.
Photo by Alejandro González
Courtesy: the artist and GALLERIA CONTINUA
Highlights of the Anniversary Exhibition
La Capacidad de Soñar features a dynamic mix of emerging and established Cuban artists, including:
- Juan Carlos Alom, Abel Barroso, Alejandro Campins, Celia & Yunior, Yaima Carrazana, Ariamna Contino
- Susana Pilar Delahante, Carlos Garaicoa, Flavio Garciandía, Osvaldo González, Luis López Chávez, José Mesías
- Wilfredo Prieto, René Francisco Rodríguez, Lázaro Saavedra, José Yaque, and many more
These artists explore Cuba’s evolving identity through painting, sculpture, video, and site-specific work, weaving personal narratives with collective memory.
Photo by Carlos Garaicoa
Courtesy: The artist and GALLERIA CONTINUA
Photo by Osvaldo Gonzalez
Courtesy: the artist and GALLERIA CONTINUA
A Global Gallery with Local Roots
Founded in 1990 in San Gimignano, Italy, GALLERIA CONTINUA now spans eight global locations, including Beijing, Paris, Les Moulins, Rome, São Paulo, and Havana. Its Havana venue—Águila de Oro, a former 1940s cinema—symbolises the gallery’s approach: revitalising unexpected spaces and making contemporary art accessible to all. As it celebrates its Cuban legacy, GALLERIA CONTINUA continues to champion art as a tool for unity, creativity, and change—“like the wind, it should not be stopped by borders.”
Feature Image Courtesy- Galleria Continua and the Artist
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