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The musician X Alfonso responded this Thursday to the Ministry of Culture and the Cuban Institute of Music (ICM) following the incident of alleged discrimination that took place at the Cuban Art Factory (FAC), the institution he directs.
In a lengthy social media post, the artist denied the accusations of racism and launched an attack against what he described as an "official campaign of empty rhetoric."
“I was born in 1972, in Luyanó, at Mangos 208, a humble neighborhood. My great-grandmother was the daughter of slaves. With more than half a century behind me, don’t come to me with stories or with little official campaigns of empty speeches,” wrote X Alfonso in a message addressed directly to the officials of the Ministry of Culture and the ICM.
The musician clarified an incident that occurred on December 26, after which a young man identified as Kevin reported on social media that he had been prevented from entering the FAC along with two friends on the grounds of "right of admission."
X Alfonso explained that the incident was a "misunderstanding" and that the young man was mistaken for another person previously involved in thefts within the cultural space.
"He was mistaken for someone who has been pickpocketing the audience at FAC, and out of caution, they did not allow him to enter. The mistake was tragic, everything was tragic, because the young man paid for a series of events that we have experienced at FAC for years, and we deeply regret it,” said the musician, who mentioned that he personally reached out to the victim to offer his apologies.
After explaining that the young man understood what had happened, the founder of the FAC described the official reaction as “surreal”, which, he said, seeks to “discredit” the project by accusing it of institutional racism.
The prestigious Cuban musician also lashed out at the official statement released by the cultural authorities - who seized upon the term “right of admission” to criticize the Fábrica de Arte - and labeled it hypocritical.
"The absurd use of the right of admission,” recalled Alfonso, citing the note from the ICM, “is what many of us experienced for years at Kevin’s age. We were denied entry to hotels for being Cuban, to beach clubs, to shops for foreigners, to spaces where entry was only allowed if you were a relative of a military personnel. And today, reality denies us access to what we need to survive because it is sold in a currency we do not earn."
The artist believed that the discourse of equality and social justice championed by cultural institutions "lacks support in the reality of the country."
“Let’s leave the phrase there —he quoted ironically—: ‘The Revolution and its institutions are and will always be at the service of the people.’ That is the great lie,” he pointed out.
In his text, X Alfonso assured that the Cuban Art Factory has maintained a tense relationship with the authorities for years.
We have been a thorn in the Ministry of Culture's side since July 2018. Every week is a struggle with absurdities, censorship, and a lack of dialogue. They have the power to physically close this venue, but they cannot silence what this project represents nor the voices of those of us involved, he stated.
The musician also denounced the social media campaign promoted by accounts aligned with the regime, which have accused the FAC and his family of "elitism" and "racism," labeling them as "fascist comments from faceless profiles" and as "poor journalism."
"To those who dared to speak ill of my parents, I wish them the worst," he wrote in reference to the renowned musicians Ele Valdés and Carlos Alfonso, founders of the group Síntesis.
X Alfonso emphasized that the "right of admission" at the FAC applies solely for security reasons and not for reasons of race or social status.
“It is used solely to prevent access to individuals with criminal backgrounds within the premises, or those arriving in an apparent state of intoxication or under the influence of drugs, thereby endangering the public,” he clarified.
The artist concluded his message by addressing the workers and supporters of FAC: “To all the art makers, artists, inseparable supporters, and workers of FAC, I wish you a new year filled with hope and light. We need it.”
X Alfonso's statements add to those of his sister, Eme Alfonso, who on Wednesday also publicly defended her family and denied any acts of racism amid a controversy that has put the Cuban regime on the defensive in light of a wave of criticism on social media.
The FAC is currently one of the largest cultural spaces in the country and one of the most successful, thanks to the efforts of X Alfonso, who has transformed an old oil factory into a large interdisciplinary creation laboratory that showcases the best of contemporary art from Cuba.
The space includes several rooms where various artistic expressions engage in dialogue with a social and community focus. It also features an area for concerts.
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