The drapeau

Artistic act that consisted of carrying on the shoulders (as a second skin) the Cuban flag during a month (July-August 2019). The work questions the value of the symbol, in this case a national symbol and its image in a society like the Cuban, where the concepts of nation, nationality and identity tend to be manipulated by the ruling power. Le drapeau (flag in French) created new thought structures, as well as provoked constant dialogue.

In March 2020, Luis Manuel was detained for 13 days in the Valle Grande Prison in Cuba for the alleged crime of "Outrage against Patriotic Symbols", a crime contained in the National Symbols Law implemented by the Cuban Government to conveniently regulate the use of any national symbol. However, thanks to the mobilization of civil society inside and outside the island, he was released 13 days after his arrest. The file was never closed.

After the protests of July 11th, 2021, Alcántara was imprisoned and sentenced in 2022 to 5 years in prison for the crimes of "Outrage against National Symbols" and "Aggravated Contempt". Once again that file was opened and the performance “Le drapeau” was used as one of the pretexts for an unjust conviction.

He is still in prison right now.

Requiem for the Homeland

The action consists of making a ceremonial prayer for the "soul" of the Cuban Homeland, but from the Afro-Cuban religious traditions. The act intended to commemorate the patriotic sentiment absent in our society, deteriorated before the imposition of an extremist nationalism, manipulated to build a fictional tale. Requiem for the Fatherland will be a ceremony of remembrance for our country in decline, which vanishes before the constant demand of an empty sacrify, which has only resulted in hunger, need, misery and therefore the separation between society and nation. A symbolic reminder to grant eternal light to Cuba.

May the homeland beholds you proudly?

Action that proposed performing the sacrifice of holding the Cuban flag at a 90 degree angle during a 24-hours period. The action was carried out as a relay from the resistance of countless volunteers. The work questioned the functionality of the action of holding a symbol and what it represents for a society like Cuba. It questioned the concepts of nationalism, symbols, and homeland in times of global crisis.

Daniel Llorente race

The Daniel Llorente race is a symbolic gesture through which pay tribute to Daniel Llorente

who was violently arrested for running with the American flag and a t-shirt with the Cuban flag at the beginning of the national parade of May 1st, 2017. The project was carried out in the San Isidro neighborhood on April 11th, 2019, in the prelude to the XIII Biennial of Havana. It was a competitive event where the participants ran 66 meters (the same distance that Llorente ran) waving an American flag and wearing a T-shirt with the Cuban flag. As part of the repression and censorship imposed by the Cuban State Security police, I was arrested along with another event participants. However, the action was carried out successfully. This work initiated a series of actions aimed at questioning concepts of nationalism, patriotism and identity that the ruling power manipulates to control you and place you as a stateless person, if something is done outside their repressive imaginary.