The Brilliant Poverty of Vigía

Abstract

There was a radical change in cultural policy following the Cuban Revolution. The founding of Imprenta Nacional and the National School of Art were attempts to make the arts accessible to as many people as possible, not for profit but for political and cultural purposes. Ediciones Vigía inherited this revolutionary agenda when the press was established a quarter of a century later, along with the aspirations of global, hemispheric, and national movements—including notably Arte Povera, publishing collectives, and the New Art. The chapter examines three hallmarks of Vigía publications—their synthesis of literary and visual arts, graphic style, and expression of literary symbolism through natural and/or found materials—to explore the history of artists’ books in Cuba and develop a critical discourse for its continued study.