Belkis Ayón: Sikán Illuminations
Modern Art Oxford (Oxford), Nov/24-Feb/25
Just a train ride from London, Modern Art Oxford presents “Belkis Ayón: Sikán Illuminations” until February. This must-see exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the work of one of Cuba’s most well-known yet enigmatic contemporary artists. Born in 1967 in Havana, Belkis Ayón studied printmaking in the 1980s and became an integral part of the city’s vibrant cultural scene as an artist and educator. She incorporated a singular printmaking method known as collography into her practice, producing a vast selection of colourful and later black-and-white prints, some impressively large in scale.
Curated by Corina Matamoros and Sandra García Herrera, “Belkis Ayón: Sikán Illuminations” features around 40 pieces produced during Ayón’s short but prolific career. It shows the artist’s extensive creative process, from her early drawings and sketches to more mature and sober collographs, which have garnered significant international recognition in recent years. The works on view at Modern Art Oxford highlight the artist’s longstanding interest in the spiritual traditions of the Abakuá, an Afro-Cuban all-male secret society spanning centuries of history.

Ayón’s portrayal of Princess Sikán, the only female figure within the Abakuá mythology, is often seen as an extension and reflection of the artist herself. It resonates with the political and economic context of Cuba in the 1990s, marked by patriarchal societal norms and the strengthening of Fidel Castro’s socialist state following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Amid multiple male figures and other mythical allegories, the representation of Sikán is a delicate but impactful gesture. While the portrayed figures are heavily embedded in the Abakuá rituals and rich syncretic universe, presented across different settings and scenes, their facial expressions communicate universal feelings and emotions. These mouthless characters gaze at the viewer with their elongated eyes, combining a sense of calmness and passivity with an underlying tension and, at times, an intimidating presence.

In “La Familia” (1999), Sikán sits on a chair resembling a religious or royal throne, accompanied by a male, paternal figure standing on her side. The position of the two figures offers some commentary on Christian iconography and imagery, also perceptible in another print, “La Cena” (1991), where a group of women and a single man gather for what seems to be a spiritual ceremony or festivity, as its title reveals, the last supper. In both works, Ayón reinforces the ubiquitous power of Sikán within the Abakuá mythology by positioning her at the centre, subverting archetypes of Christianity.

Among the displayed prints, there is a 5-minute archival video recorded in the 1990s showing Ayón’s collographic process. She is filmed in a workshop space at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, where she was also a teacher. This short and rare recording captures the artist’s pioneering technique. Using materials such as black ink, cardboard, and sandpaper alongside an old printing press, Ayón creates a series of circular prints. In this video, we can see her intense dedication and artistic rigour and get a peek into her identity as a Black Cuban woman who still had a lot to say to the world. Her premature death by suicide in 1999, at just 32 years old, remains a mystery to her family and loved ones. Yet, she is rightfully remembered for her extraordinary body of work. After viewing the exhibition in Oxford, I rest assured that Belkis Ayón and her art will continue to inspire and amaze us for many years to come.
Caroline Fucci for London Art Walk
January 2025