Afro-Cuban Artistry

The Lowe Art Museum lowers the boom on the frantic citywide December art flurry with a pair of roundhouse combinations delivering stunning Afro-Cuban art and a knockout selection of works from one of America’s oldest art schools. “AfroCuba: Works on Paper, 1968-2003” features more than 60 prints and drawings by 26 artists from Havana and Santiago de Cuba, marking the first time these artists have been grouped together in a major exhibit off the island. The groundbreaking show includes a broad range of subject matter and styles that underscore Cuba’s deep African roots, the influence of Afro-Cuban religious imagery on that nation’s culture, and reflections on Cuban politics and race as well as social relations today.

The “Art Students League of New York, Highlights from the Permanent Collection” exhibit weighs in with a walloping 75 paintings, works on paper, and sculptures by the storied institution’s heavyweights who have left an indelible mark on 20th-century American art. Both shows open today and run through February 3 at the Lowe.
Dec. 15-Feb. 3, 2007