Washington.-The exhibition "Cuban Ties: An Exploration of Cuban Culture by Three Artists" was inaugurated at the Caribbean country's Embassy in this capital in the presence of guest curator Jon West-Bey.

At the opening of the exhibition, which also featured artists Sami Miranda, Lazaro Batista, and Ulysses Marshall, the second head of the Cuban Mission in this nation, Alejandro Pila, stated, “Our Embassy is not just a diplomatic building. For a moment, it becomes something more, a cultural bridge.”

Upon welcoming attendees on Friday, Pila underscored, “Cuba is a living mosaic, shaped by African, European, and Caribbean roots. And from those roots emerged a vibrant, resilient, and deeply human culture.”

We are especially proud, he said, to inaugurate this exhibition at the beginning of Cuban Culture Month.

The diplomat also noted, “If there’s one thing history reminds us of, it is that Cuban and US cultures have long been connected. The rhythms of Havana and the sounds of New Orleans share the same heartbeat. Afro-Cuban percussion and African-American blues emerged from common roots.”

The result was a space where striking and colorful works that speak to memory, heritage, and contemporary Cuba came together, as well as the connections of African-American history with the island’s narratives.