The end of 2016 was a very interesting moment for Cuban art in what is related to art market. On one side, the results of the November auctions in New York, Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips, where the presence of artists formed in the Island grew, as well as the sales of their works. Several estimates were exceeded, records were established, and all that makes us assume that in the next auctions the houses will again bet for avant-garde and contemporary Cuban artists.
In this context, the work Untitled, of 1998, by Roberto Fabelo was auctioned by Christie’s and the price rised above the 100 000 dollars, for fourth consecutive time. According to these results, it is estimated that in the next years Fabelo’s presence would grow in these events.
Pasta de oca en el muro del Malecón, 1998.
Also on the art market, December was a very intense month, beginning with the fairs of Miami and Miami Beach, which is said exceeded this year the number of visitors and the records of sales. CernudaArte took part in Art Miami, one of the most prestigious and one of those who attract the most specialized public, with a selection of avant-garde and contemporary art in which several pieces by Fabelo were included, among them an oil on canvas of 2016 which was reproduced several times on the press and is the back cover of the magazine Art OnCuba (edition 13, December 2016-February 2017).
Afterwards, Cernuda had, in the month of January 2017, a booth in another important fair in the south of Florida, Art Palm Beach, where Fabelo was represented with canvases, silks, drawings on paper and on metal casseroles and sculptures in bronze.
In February Fabelo take part in Art Madrid with Collage Habana and in the fair ArtWynwood with CernudaArte.
The first day of the week on the Festival del Habano in Cuba, February 28, in the Meliá Habana Hotel the auction of a cedar and silver humidor made by the artist took place. The event was organized by the hotel chain Meliá and Habanos S.A., and the general coordination was in charge of Mrs. Regla Álvarez, administrator of Casa Habanos in the Meliá Habana Hotel. The money collected in the auction of this humidor, 115000.00 CUC, will be bestowed to the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba. The piece was bought by the spanishman Luciano Méndez, director of Sabadell Bank in Cuba and collector of Cuban art, who also owns the humidor auctioned in 2016. After the auction, closing the celebration night, the event counted with a concert by Haila María Mompié.
From right to left: Luís Sánchez Harguindey, President of Habanos, S.A, Luciano Méndez, director of Sabadell Bank in Cuba y Mario José Hernández, artist's manager.