Details
Description
An original 1964 Cuban serigraph (silkscreen) film poster for Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba), designed by René Portocarrero (1912–1985) — …
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An original 1964 Cuban serigraph (silkscreen) film poster for Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba), designed by René Portocarrero (1912–1985) — one of the towering figures of 20th-century Cuban modernism. The image is a riot of red, black, and white over a vivid yellow field, framed in cobalt blue and grass green: a swirling, mask-like profile that fuses Cuban vanguardia, Pop, and folk-baroque sensibilities into something unmistakably Portocarrero. Signed and dated in the plate, "PORTOCARRERO 64."
What makes this poster special is the convergence of two icons. Soy Cuba — directed by Mikhail Kalatozov with legendary cinematography by Sergei Urusevsky for ICAIC in co-production with Mosfilm — was largely forgotten after its 1964 release, then rediscovered in 1992 and championed by Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, who backed its international restoration. It's now regarded as one of the most extraordinary films ever shot. Portocarrero designed not only this poster but the film's costumes, making the piece a rare intersection of two of his most celebrated contributions.
ICAIC posters from this revolutionary-cinema era are collected by the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and Georgetown University Library, among others. Unlike commercial movie posters, ICAIC commissioned genuine artists to create original works — so each is as much a fine-art print as a promotional piece. I love this one for its sheer graphic punch: hand-pulled ink with real surface texture, color that hasn't dulled, and a composition that holds a wall the way few vintage posters do.
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- Dimensions
- 20ʺW × 1ʺD × 30ʺH
- Frame Type
- Unframed
- Art Subjects
- Figure
- Pop Culture
- Text
- Period
- 1960s
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Paper
- Screen Print
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Red
- Condition Notes
- Original 1960's hand-pulled serigraph in good vintage condition, with honest age- and handling-related wear. There are a few small spots … moreOriginal 1960's hand-pulled serigraph in good vintage condition, with honest age- and handling-related wear. There are a few small spots of ink loss/chipping in the green lower border (one minor scuff near the white lettering, measuring under ~1/4"), and light creasing and soft wrinkling, most visible along the bottom white margin. Ink bleed-through is visible on the verso confirms genuine silkscreen (not offset) production. Colors are strong and unfaded. Previously frame-mounted on foam core; cleanly removed with no surface damage to the artwork from removal (confirmed under raking light). No tears. Please review all photos closely, including the ruler and close-up damage shots, as they are part of the condition description. less
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