


Roberto Fabelo Cuba, 1951
80.01 x 62.23 cm
Further images
Roberto Fabelo's 1983 drawing, depicting two men, one holding a lantern and emerging from the shadows, offers a powerful commentary on the political situation in Cuba during that time. The light of the lantern, illuminating one character while the other follows in its glow, serves as a metaphor for the search for truth and freedom in a context of oppression. The figure moving toward the light, following the other, could symbolize the longing for clarity and understanding in an environment where darkness and repression prevail.
The "blackout" you refer to, a period when the Cuban population was figuratively and literally kept in the dark, is reflected in this piece. Fabelo may be suggesting that the government’s control kept society blinded, without access to truth or knowledge, while the lantern, though limited in its reach, provides a small spark of hope and a form of resistance against the darkness.
Thus, this work can be interpreted as a critique of the lack of freedom of expression and the control of information during the 1980s, highlighting how light, even if minimal, can be a symbol of awakening and resistance against oppression.