About

Galería Cubana offers New England’s most comprehensive collection of contemporary Cuban art with rarely seen works by both internationally renowned and emerging artists currently living in Cuba. We showcase paintings, prints and drawings that encapsulate the cultural depth, aesthetic diversity and political edge unique to Cuban art.

Michelle Wojcik is the Owner and Director of Galería Cubana. She established the gallery in Provincetown, MA in 2007 with a mission to introduce artwork rarely seen in the United States and support artists on the island. Since the gallery’s inception, Ms. Wojcik has hosted scores of exhibitions in both her Provincetown gallery and during the years 2009 - 2018 in Boston where she operated a second gallery. Throughout this period, she has sponsored many Cuban artists to travel to the U.S. for exhibitions.

In addition, Ms. Wojcik has led groups of collectors on Arts & Cultural excursions to Cuba annually since 2011. With a mission to educate travelers on life in Cuba, she arranges travelers to meet artists in their studios and homes. Myriad ongoing relationships and projects have grown out of these exchanges with Cuban artists and musicians. Of the most notable projects is the feature length documentary film Alumbrones released in 2013. The film presents 8 artists represented by Galeria Cubana. Ms. Wojcik served as co-producer of the film.

Prior to opening the gallery,  Ms. Wojcik worked for the World Policy Institute’s Cuba Project (2001-2004) in New York, NY. In this role, she examined the political and economic effects of the U.S. embargo on Cuba and worked to promote dialogue on Cuba policy. Among her accomplishments, was her role in coordinating a medical delegation to Cuba hosting two former surgeon generals to examine Cuban healthcare. Ms. Wojcik was also a key coordinator of the 2004 National Summit on Cuba hosting former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev.

It was her longstanding interest and study in human rights, international development, and social entrepreneurialism that led her to open the gallery. She was first impressed by the depth of artistic production and creative use of materials in Cuba when living in Cuba over the course of two summers while in graduate training.  She developed a further curiosity for this sector of the Cuban economy that was permitted as private enterprise. With her background, she found a window of opportunity to launch the gallery in 2007.

Ms. Wojcik has periodically lectured on the history of Cuban art and the contemporary Cuban art market at several universities including Boston College, Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Ms. Wojcik has a Masters Degree in Applied Anthropology at American University in Washington, DC and an Masters of Philosophy (PhD ABD) in Anthropology at the New School for Social Research in New York, NY.  While earning her degrees, she studied abroad in London, England, Havana, Cuba & Krakow, Poland.

Ms. Wojcik travels to Cuba regularly in search of new works and undiscovered talent.  She continues to focus on Cuba, but intends to incorporate more travel and adventure in her life.

U.S. Regulations

The legal basis for the importation of Cuban art is premised on the “Berman Amendment” enacted in 1988 that amended the Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA) to exclude “informational materials” from the scope of TWEA sanctions. In 1989, in Cernuda v. Heavy, a federal court in Miami held that paintings of Cuban origin were “informational materials” and were therefore exempt from the scope of sanctions on Cuba.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION:

The reproductions of works of art herein displayed are not to be duplicated for personal use, for distribution, nor for sale. Violators will be prosecuted.