Sculptured Object (exhibition)

Medium: Performance Art

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Artist: Angel Delgado

Confronting Bodies: Cuban government under Fidel Castro

Dates of Action: 1989

Location: Havana, Cuba

Description of Artwork: The artist formed a circle with animal bones on the floor, spread the day's Granma (the Cuban newspaper) in the center, dropped his pants and defecated on it.

The Incident: This performance was part of an exhibition entitled Sculptured Object at the Center for the Development of the Visual Arts in Havana. The exhibition was immediately closed. Two days after the incident, the twenty-three year old artist was fired from his job. When he returned home, the state secret police were waiting for him. He was charged with "public scandal" and sentenced to six months in prison. "It was an act of political desperation," he said "I wanted to draw attention to the absence of freedom of expression in Cuba. I wanted to express myself against censorship."

Results of Incident: Delgado was freed after serving the six month term. Since his release, he has not been able to exhibit his works or perform anywhere in Cuba or abroad.

Source: "Castro's Final Hour", Andres Oppenheimer