The Bayamo Wax Museum, which sparked much controversy in the past with the inclusion of a figure of the singer Sara González, has added a statue of Adalberto Álvarez this Saturday.
Although the institution has faced significant criticism on several occasions for its controversial exhibits, this time it has added a quite decent and lifelike piece modeled in polychrome wax at life size, representing the Caballero del Son, reported the state newspaper Granma.
The artwork was created by the artists Rafael Barrios Madrigal and his son Rafael Barrios Milán, and it "recreates the image of Adalberto Álvarez at approximately 60 years of age."
Additionally, it was "enriched with clothing, footwear, and other items from the artist donated by his family, among which stands out the güiro (musical instrument) that distinguished him in each of his performances," noted the news portal.
With the work dedicated to the Knight of Son, the institution has now completed 27 pieces honoring "personalities from Cuban and international history, politics, and culture, as well as popular figures."
For the occasion, the controversial Cándido Fabré introduced a new song titled “Adalberto, the son needs you” during the unveiling ceremony of the statue.
The founder of Son 14 passed away in 2021 at the age of 72, leaving an important musical legacy with pieces such as "Y qué tú quieres que te den," "A bailar el toca toca," "Para bailar casino," and "A Bayamo en coche."
The Wax Museum of Bayamo, the only one of its kind in Cuba, became the center of a significant controversy in 2017 when it unveiled a piece honoring the singer-songwriter Sara González, an emblematic figure of the Nueva Trova movement and of the cultural events mainly associated with the political acts of the Island's government.
However, the gesture of brothers Rafael and Leander Barrios Milán, together with their father and teacher Rafael Barrios Madrigal, sparked an unimaginable discussion on social media, where intellectuals, artists, and users in general satirized the monument and even went so far as to compare it to "a female version of Hugo Chávez."
Finally, the widow of the trovadora, Diana Balboa, announced that the wax figure was removed from the museum following criticism from close friends and family.
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