Virginia Alberdi Benítez (Havana, *1947)
Virginia Alberdi Benítez
Havana, 1947
Art critic, currently editor of the Artecubano Publishing House. Bachelor in Literature from Enrique José Varona Pedagogic Institute in 1974. She was a teacher until 1982 and has taken graduate studies in Art.
Between 1983 and 1988 she worked with amateur groups and literary workshops in the city of Santa Clara. Between 1993 and 2010 she was responsible at the National Council for Visual Arts for the links between the country’s visual arts institutions and the press.
She was curator of Galería Pequeño Espacio, at CNAP’s headquarters from 2001 to 2005. She has curated various solo shows and group exhibitions, and written numerous texts for exhibition catalogues. She is a regular collaborator of the digital magazine La Jiribilla, of Granma newspaper, of the tabloid Noticias de Artecubano, and of the magazine Artecubano. Her texts have been published in the magazines Extramuros, Opus Habana, Cauce, OnCuba and Acuarela. Since 2007 she is part of the project Arte y Moda (Art and Fashion), and since 2015 she collaborates with Artemorfosis Gallery and its exhibition projects. She is a member of the Critics’ Section of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC).
CURATORSHIPS (Selection)
2017 Pasión y contención (Passion and Restraint), bi-personal exhibition by Adislén Reyes and Lancelot Alonso. Artemorfosis Gallry, Zurich, Switzerland
2016 Fuerza y Sangre, imaginarios de la Bandera Cubana (Force and Blood, Imagery of the Cuban Flag), co-curatorship of macro traveling exhibition, with one hundred artists. Cuba
Dibujo de dos (Drawing by Two), bi-personal drawing showcase by Onay Rosquet and Brian Romero. Gallery of Hotel Parque Central, Havana, Cuba
2015 Resiliencia (Resistance), solo show by Jorge Godoy, collateral to the 12th Havana Biennial. Galería 11 of the Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation, Havana, Cuba
Gritos del Silencio (Shouts of Silence), group exhibition, collateral to the 12th Havana Biennial, Historical-Military Park Morro-Cabaña, Havana, Cuba
2014 Oros viejos (Old Golds), solo show by Onay Rosquet. Servando Cabrera Moreno Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2012 De lo vivo a lo pinta’o, group exhibition collateral to the 12th Havana Biennial. Historical-Military Park Morro-Cabaña, Havana, Cuba
Retratos II (Portraits II), solo show by Ileana Sánchez collateral to the 11th Havana Biennial, Historical-Military Park Morro-Cabaña, Havana, Cuba
2011 Otras memorias del subdesarrollo (Other Memories of Underdevelopment), solo showby Daylene Rodríguez Moreno. Fototeca de Cuba, Havana, Cuba
Época de riesgo (Time of Risks), solo show by Diana Almeida. Casa del Alba Cultural, Havana, Cuba
Tesitura interior (Interior Tesiture), solo show by Jorge Godoy. Servando Cabrera Moreno Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2010 Cantidades hechizadas (Enchanted Figures), group exhibition in tribute to José Lezama Lima. Galería El Reino de Este Mundo, José Martí National Library, Havana, Cuba
Diversos (Various), group exhibition at the Journey against Homophobia, Pabellón Cuba, Havana, Cuba
Puntos opuestos, (Opposed Poles), solo show by Manolo Comas. Galería El Reino de Este Mundo, José Martí National Library, Havana, Cuba
2009 Entre isles (Amid Islands), group exhibition on the anniversary of Cuba-Japan relations. Los Oficios Gallery, Havana, Cuba
In ten so (In ten se), group exhibition, Los Oficios Gallery, April
Trazos para el desarrollo (Sketches for Development), group exhibition in collaboration with the United Nations office. Galería El Reino de Este Mundo, José Martí National Library, Havana, Cuba
2008 Un hombre sincero (An Honest Man), solo show by Esteban Machado in tribute to José Martí. José Martí Memorial, Havana, Cuba
Verde que te quiero verde… (Green, I Want You Green), group exhibition. Small Basilica Basilica of the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Havana, Cuba
2007 Erosiones (Erosions), solo show by Julia Valdés. xposición personal de Julia Servando Cabrera Moreno Gallery, Havana, Cuba
Barbudos (Bearded Men), solo show by Javier Guerra, traveling to several venues in Havana and Cienfuegos, Cuba
Rompecabezas (Puzzle). Homenaje Raúl Martínez (Tribute to Raúl Martínez), group exhibition of erotic art. Galiano Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2006 La isla infinita (The Infinite Island), group exhibition during the International Festival of Youth and Students. Hotel Alba, Caracas, Venezuela.
2005 Unas y otras (These and Others), group exhibition in tribute to the International Women’s Day, and to salute the Second Congress of the (Association of Handicraft Artists (ACAA), Simón Bolívar House, Havana, Cuba
Otra Mirada (Another Glance), group exhibition on the 60th anniversary of the FAO, Humboldt House, Havana, Cuba
Inscripciones detrás de la puerta (Registration behind the Door), solo show by Julia Valdés. Rubén Martínez Villena Gallery, Havana, Cuba
Espada y vapor (Sword and Steam), solo show by Javier Guerra. Smaller Basilica of the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Havana, Cuba
2004 Las puertas del Reino (The Doors of the Kingdom), group exhibition. René Portocarrero Gallery, National Theater, Havana, Cuba
2003 Homenaje a Martí (Tribute to Martí), group exhibition, Galería Pequeño Espacio, National Council for the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
Yo sé de un pintor gigante (I Know of a Giant Painter), group exhibition in tribute to José Martí’s 150th birth anniversary, traveling to several cities of Cuba
Erótica (Erotic), group exhibition. Gran Teatro de La Habana, Cuba
Preferencias prestadas (Borrowed Preferences), solo show by Deborah Nofret, curated together with Margarita Sánchez Prieto. Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana, Cuba
Visiones (Visions), bi-personal exhibition by Ariadna Gallardo and Julia Valdés, collateral to the 8th Havana Biennial. Gallery of the Yoruba Association of Cuba, Havana, Cuba
Pintura cubana de hoy (Cuban Painting Today), group exhibition. Chapel of Humankind, Quito, Ecuador
2002 Treinta años después (Thirty Years Later), retrospective of Julio Larramendi. Internastional Press Center, Havana, Cuba
Zarza, toros pintados (Zarza, Painted Bulls), solo show by Rafael Zarza. Development Center for the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
Los otros placers (The Other Pleasures), solo exhibition by José Gómez Fresquet «Frémez». Development Center for the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
Pinturas (Paintings), exhibition by Julia Valdés. Galería Pequeño Espacio, National Council for the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
2001 Contra viento y marea (Against All Odds), solo show by Julia Valdés. Galería Pequeño Espacio, National Council for the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
During the years when she was curator of the Galería Pequeño Espacio of the National Council for the Visual Arts, she organized exhibitions for the most outstanding representatives of contemporary Cuban painting.
Editorial work
Edition of the monographs of the Colección Espiral dedicated to: Antonio Vidal, René de la Nuez, Alberto Díaz «Korda», Eduardo Muñoz Bachs.
Edition of the art and thought book, Árbol de Signos, by Rafael Acosta de Arriba.
Co-edition of the FIART 2015 catalogue.
