FoodWaterShoes

Whether it be a sense of eager excitement in regards to the whimsical designs Louboutin floats down the runway at Paris Fashion Week or celebs denouncing the stiletto (see The Telegraph, “Victoria Beckham on her new grown-up style: ‘I just can’t do heels any more’“), shoes are a hot topic these days. From the ancient Chinese tradition of foot binding to the blinding prices of snazzy sneakers, footwear seems to fascinate (or befuddle) just about everyone.

To say that Cuban artist Liudmila López Domínguez thinks outside the (shoe) box is an understatement. We first encountered her contemporary work at Galeria Victor Manuel in Habana Vieja’s (Old Havana’s) Plaza de la Catedral. The gallery rests along the edge of the plaza just before the Taller Experimental de Gráfica (a mecca for engraving enthusiasts which is also worth a gander while you’re in Havana).

Galeria Victor Manuel is known not only for its vast array of modern art, jewelry and wood work, but also its location.

In addition to Galeria Victor Manuel, here’s a list of other neat little local spots we love in Cuba.

The gallery is perched above the Plaza de la Catedral’s former cistern and located inside what used to be the Casa de Baños (a former 19th century public bath house).

History aside, once you’re inside Galeria Victor Manuel, it’s hard not to be captivated by López Domínguez’s current exhibition.

You’re bound to hear French tourists oohing and ahhing over the symmetry of her work while Japanese travelers jockey for the perfect shoefie position.

Her elegant work is not limited to a single medium. Whether it be plastic, marble, or pencils, López Domínguez’s artwork is bound to keep you on your toes.

López Domínguez’s work is stunning not only because of the array of materials she works with, but also because of the stories her work tells.

Clearly we love shoes. Curious about some of the other crazy heels and shoe boutiques we’ve discovered around the globe? Here are some of our favorite shoe spots in the world.

The artist has frequently been quoted in the media with regards to the roles that feminism and gender issues play in her art (see The Express Tribune, “Bold and bright: Exhibition provides glimpse into Cuban culture“). Like many modern artists working in Cuba today, with her gorgeous shoes López Domínguez seems to be saying that ideas simply cannot be killed.

López Domínguez lives and works in Cuba. She has completed over 20 solo shows in Greece, Spain and of course Cuba. Her work has been featured in nearly 100 group exhibitions internationally across countries such as Australia, Mexico, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United States of America and Venezuela. Given her prowess as an artist and a visual story teller, López Domínguez is a “shoe in” for a Cuban Cinderella story. We’re excited to keep our eyes on this talented young artist and hope to see more galleries around the world collecting her shoes in the future.

Galeria Victor Manuel
San Ignacio #56, esquina Callejón del Chorro
Habana Vieja, Cuba
Hours: Open Every Day From 9:00am to 9:00pm
Admission: Free
Phone: +53 78612955

Liudmila López Domínguez
Phone: +53 52814829 +53 78678923
Email: miniliud@yahoo.com miniliud@cubarte.cult.cu