SELECTED ARTISTS FOR WINTER 24’ PROGRAM

On behalf of Casa Caché Artist Residency, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to our Winter 2024 residents in Havana—Constanze Han, Filippo Vogliazzo, and Sandrine Sanos—whose vision and commitment enriched the program in countless ways.

Casa Caché exists to deepen cultural dialogue between visiting artists and Cuba’s vibrant creative community. By living and working in Havana for a full month, each of you advanced that mission. Constanze’s exploration of performance art, theater, and religion illuminated the city’s layered spiritual traditions. Filippo’s vernacular interventions and installations responded to Havana’s everyday architecture, revealing its poetic potential. Sandrine’s cycle of essays—shaped through conversations with Cuban artists and writers and inspired by Ana Mendieta, feminist, and LGBTQI+ practices—offered powerful reflections on how bodies and spaces both bear and transcend historic violence.

Your willingness to engage with Havana’s people, places, and histories captured the complexity and beauty of a city we all hold dear. The insights and perspectives you shared have expanded understanding on both sides of the cultural bridge we strive to build.
It was a privilege to witness and support your creative processes. As Casa Caché grows, we remain committed to championing your work with curators, collectors, and galleries, and to identifying future opportunities to exhibit the pieces developed during your residency.

Thank you again for your remarkable contributions and for strengthening Casa Caché’s mission of lasting international cultural exchange.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Casa Caché Artist Residency

On behalf of Casa Caché Artist Residency, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Corina Gertz (Germany) for her invaluable participation in our inaugural residency in Havana, Cuba. During her residency, Corina worked on her global long-term series "Averted Portrait," focusing on women in traditional garments depicted from behind against a monochrome black background. This approach highlights clothing and attributes as cultural constants expressing individuality and belonging across regions and generations. The hidden subjects communicate solely through their attire, revealing cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and social status without exposing their individuality. These portraits create an intimacy with the individual, representing their aesthetic, political, social, and cultural contexts.

Our residency program aims to foster cultural dialogue between the art community and creatives in Cuba, building bridges between Casa Caché residents and the local community. By bringing in talented artists like Corina to live and work in Cuba, we enrich the local community through cultural exchange and fresh perspectives. Corina's photography captures the life, essence, beauty, and richness of Cuba, showcasing its culture with unique sensitivity and appreciation. We are committed to promoting her work with curators, collectors, and galleries and look forward to future opportunities to exhibit the pieces she created during her residency. Thank you, Corina, for your remarkable contribution.

On behalf of Casa Caché Artist Residency, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Kris Scholz (Germany) for his participation in our inaugural residency in Havana, Cuba. During his residency, Kris worked on two projects, "Marks and Traces" and "The Silent View," using a large format camera from the 1930s. Due to the unavailability of film in the required size, he ingeniously used paper negatives, resulting in unique black-and-white reproductions of architectural, industrial, and landscape scenes influenced by the city's architecture, small industries, and infrastructure. His work focused on capturing the city's essence, highlighting significant sites and human interventions in landscapes through agriculture, industry, and architecture.

Kris's photography has truly captured the essence, beauty, and complexity of Havana, showcasing the city's dynamic environments with sensitivity and precision. It was a great pleasure and privilege to support and witness his creative process in Cuba. As part of Casa Caché, we are committed to promoting his work with curators, collectors, and galleries. We look forward to future opportunities to exhibit the pieces he created during his residency and will continue to support him in his artistic endeavors. Thank you, Kris, for your remarkable contribution to our residency program.

On behalf of Casa Caché Artist Residency, we are thrilled to highlight the exceptional contributions of Cecilia Villaverde (Mexico), an award-winning filmmaker and experimental video artist from Mexico City, during our inaugural residency in Havana, Cuba. Cecilia, renowned for her versatile work in auteur cinema and various audiovisual formats, brought her unique perspective to Havana, delving into themes of heritage, gender, and identity. As a director, cinematographer, and post-producer, she skillfully navigates the interplay of reality, representation, and fiction, creating profound explorations of contemporary life.

During her time at Casa Caché, Cecilia focused on filming and interviewing members of the LGBTQ+ community in Cuba. Through her intimate documentary style and experimental techniques, she captured personal stories that highlight the evolution and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community on the island. Her work brought to light the challenges faced by individuals in expressing their identity openly in a country like Cuba. Cecilia’s dedication to amplifying these human stories through her art provided a powerful voice for those often unheard and showcased the extraordinary aspects of their experiences.

Cecilia’s residency was marked by significant engagements with the local community and prominent cultural institutions. She was invited to the CENESEX Gala and presented three of her documentaries at The National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX) Headquarters, an organization known for advocating LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance of sexual diversity in Cuba. Additionally, she presented two of her documentaries at La Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC), further expanding the reach of her impactful work. Cecilia Villaverde’s participation in the Casa Caché Artist Residency not only enriched her artistic journey but also contributed profoundly to the cultural dialogue on LGBTQ+ issues in Cuba.