Fusterlandia: A Ceramic Wonderland on the Outskirts of Havana

Cuban artist José Fuster has been described as the “Picasso of the Caribbean.” The painter and sculptor is the brains behind Fusterlandia, a neighborhood in the village of Jaimanitas that the artist has been transforming with his ceramic creations for years.

To date, the artist has decorated more than 80 houses with ornate murals and domes to suit the personality of his neighbors.  Among the creations are a chess park with giant boards and tables, and an Artists’ Wall composed of a quilt of dozens of tiles signed and donated by other Cuban artists.

Born in 1946 on Cuba’s north coast in the town of Caibarién, Fuster has been a professional artist since the 1960s. In addition to turning Jaimanitas into a unique work of public art, he has also participated in group shows in Europe, North America and South America. Fuster’s work can be found in collections at the Center for Cuban Studies in New York, the Museo de la Cerámica, Castillo de la Real Fuerza, in Havana; and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana.

We think that images speak louder than words. Below are some photos of Fusterlandia that were taken during recent journeys to Cuba.

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Fusterlandia by Sara Kosyk

Horse in Fusterlandia by Ellen Renstrom

Pool in Fusterlandia by Ellen Renstrom

Fusterlandia by Danielle Dybiec