Exhibits & Events

El Grupo Bayate, founded by Luis Joaquin “El Maestro” Rodriguez Arias and his son, Luis “El

Estudiante” Rodriguez, has brought together 20 self-taught artists who work in the arte naif

tradition, painting from lived experiences with bold colors and joyous depictions of Cuban life.

Reflecting themes of Cuban landscapes, celebrations, and community, these artworks capture

the spirit of everyday life in Cuba, using art as a medium for community-building and cultural

pride.

This cooperative, established in 1994, serves not only to promote local artistry but to inspire

and connect with their community. Their work is embedded in projects like “Proyecto Miranda”

for young painters, “Proyecto Francisca” for women artists, and “Alegría de Vivir” for

children—all initiatives that strengthen pride and preserve cultural heritage through art. The

exhibition offers a meaningful window into Cuban life and folk traditions, creating an accessible

experience for all visitors.

The exhibition will also showcase Luis el Estudiante’s work in collaboration with Laurence

Salzmann in the photo series La Lucha/The Struggle. The focus of these photographs is the

human form against the backdrop of a minimally equipped training studio. The images of the

wrestlers in La Lucha represent an appreciation of the masculine form as well as an exploration

of the role of sports in national identity. In La Lucha, Laurence Salzmann uses this ambiguity as

a departure point to explore the relationship between athletic endeavor and national and

personal survival.

Their project resulted in the La Lucha book and a show of their work at Taller Puertorriqueño in

2001 and as part of el Festival Cubano, a city wide cultural festival in 2002. As part of the El

Festival Cubano in 2002, works by the group were shown at Indigo Gallery and Taller

Puertorriqueño along with photographs from Salzmann's La Lucha Series that included

paintings by Luis El Estudiante. Luis Joaquin “El Maestro” Rodriguez Arias and Luis “El

Estudiante” Rodriguez have now returned to Philadelphia 22 years later to show “Por un Mundo

Mejor // For a Better World”.