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Research Project: Non- Fiction Paintings Galleries:
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Many of the paintings presented on this web site represent my understanding of how the benefits and constraints imposed by the Cuban government have influenced the life of the people there. My observations have allowed me to construct a series of photo-realistic paintings that intimate how severe shortages and deprivation have left their mark on the island. But along with these observations, other paintings in the series reveal specific aspects of a remarkable Cuban spirit – one derived from that special mixture of native, African, and Spanish cultures and religion that is prevalent throughout Latin America today. My paintings reflect the inevitable conclusion that Cuban life – whatever its deprivations – is undeniably vibrant, filled with music, jokes, a patient good humor, and a unique joie de vivre. My Cuban project has developed in two distinct parts. The major effort has been a series of oil paintings, based on photographs I have taken on the island, that I have completed in my New York studio. The other part of the project comprises a set of watercolor portraits of artists, curators, scientists, writers, and workers from all walks of life and all strata of Cuban society; these watercolors are painted from life, in Cuba. The oil paintings and watercolors hopefully communicate a direct expression of what it is like to be present on the island today in a society rife with contradictions and stresses that are very different from those faced by the average American. In publishing these works of art on this web site, it is my goal to help educate Americans about life on the island. This series of paintings is an ongoing project. This web site will be updated in the future as new works are painted and photographed. Please return soon to see additional images and to learn more about life in Cuba. -James Rauchman
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