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Congressional Record --105th Congress, First Session
CUBAN-AMERICAN ARTIST XAVIER CORTADA -- HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
(Extension of Remarks - April 23, 1998)
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HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
in the House of Representatives
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998
- Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Xavier Cortada for his
newly unveiled exhibition entitled, `Cubaba'. Having exhibited on four different
continents, this month marks the inception of Xavier's first solo show in his hometown of
Miami, Florida.
- Growing up Cuban-American in Miami was the foundation that inspired Xavier to paint the
enlightening cultural celebration that is Cubaba. With combined elements of Hispanic
culture and of Anglo-American college life, Xavier gave life to the feelings of `identity
and belonging, about then and now, about being Cuban, being American, being both and being
neither.' The renegotiation of identity that mirrors members of the Cuban generation who
find themselves `on the hyphen'.
- The Miami-based artist is also an attorney and a community leader who is able to express
his concerns for social and political issues while exploring topics such as community
development, racism, violence, poverty, political freedom, AIDS, and Cuba.
- Prestigious accomplishments achieved by Xavier include having been commissioned to
create public art for organizations such as Nike, HBO, MADD and Indiana's Governor's
office. He has been commissioned to create community murals by museums such as the Lowe
Art Museum, the Wolfsonian and the Miami Youth Museum.
- In Cubaba, this talented painter and social voice has reaffirmed the existence of
biculturalism through his celebration of oil colors on canvas and expression of Cuban
nostalgia and American reality.
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