{"id":5799,"date":"2016-12-06T09:18:59","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T15:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/?p=5799"},"modified":"2016-12-06T09:23:46","modified_gmt":"2016-12-06T15:23:46","slug":"single-soul-sau-group-cuba-castro-dies-see-hardships-joys-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/2016\/single-soul-sau-group-cuba-castro-dies-see-hardships-joys-life\/","title":{"rendered":"‘A Single Soul’ – SAU group in Cuba when Castro dies; see hardships, joys of life there"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"v-finished-group-photo\"<\/a>

SAU art professor Steven Ochs, center, poses with members of his team in front of the finished mural at the University of Artemisa.<\/p><\/div>\n

Two Southern Arkansas University professors visiting Cuba over the Thanksgiving break found themselves in the country during a historic event: the death of Fidel Castro.<\/p>\n

Dr. Edward Kardas, distinguished professor of psychology and director of the SAU Honors College, and Steven Ochs, professor of art, were in Cuba Nov. 20-26 working on an art project at the University of Artemisa. They, along with SAU sophomore Veronica Ramirez, were participating in a long-planned trip to the Cuban university. None expected their visit to coincide with the passing of Cuba\u2019s former president. Castro\u2019s death reminded Kardas of his own early years in Havana.<\/p>\n

\u201cI lived in Cuba from 1957 to 1960,\u201d Kardas said. \u201cMy father was a State Department Foreign Service officer. Havana was his post then. The first time I heard Castro\u2019s name was on Jan. 1, 1959, when I was nearly 10 years old. On Saturday<\/span>, again in Cuba, I heard he had died. A lot of history has fallen in between those two personal bookends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"cuba-street-scene-by-stephen-ochs\"<\/a>Castro orchestrated the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and was the head of the government until 2008, when he handed over power to his brother, Raul.<\/p>\n

The trip was Kardas\u2019 fourth to Cuba since relations were normalized between the socialist country and the United States. SAU has been attempting to establish an exchange program with one or more Cuban universities, and Kardas joined three previous delegations. It was Ochs\u2019 first visit to Cuba and an eye-opener for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought the people were warm, conscientious, and educated,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cThey take the time to greet each other every day \u2013 a kiss on the cheek for the women, a handshake for the men. It\u2019s sincere. The people share a single soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Cuba, Kardas met frequently with university and government officials while Ochs worked with art professors and students on a mural symbolizing the relationship between Artemisa and SAU. Language was not the only barrier they encountered; there was also governmental bureaucracy. \u201cArt materials shipped from the U.S. never left the customs house in Havana. They were delivered on time,\u201d Ochs said of products donated by Smith Paint, \u201cbut we didn\u2019t have signatures we needed, so they were never released.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ochs and his team needed \u201ca Plan B. We\u2019re in the creativity business. We solve problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were working so closely together that at times I forgot I don\u2019t speak Spanish and they don\u2019t speak English,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cWe were speaking art. Art obliterates barriers. That\u2019s a cool feeling.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kardas helped track down substitute materials, obtainable only by making an 80-mile round trip from Artemisa to Havana. This exposed the group to one of the true dangers of daily life in Cuba: traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou drive down the middle of the road, there are no shoulders, and the sides of the road are full of pedestrians, motorcycles, scooters, horse-drawn buggies, and not one has a reflector,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cAfter a couple of hours, we had to pull over and wipe off the oily exhaust from the windshield. You can imagine the combination of darkness, oncoming headlights, and shadows of human obstacles everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Work on the mural continued. \u201cWe wanted to have a successful project, against all odds,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cWe wanted to make a statement, and Cubans are very passionate people, they don\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n

He found that communicating with art-minded people wasn\u2019t difficult despite the language barrier.<\/p>\n

\"a-sponsors-and-participants\"<\/a>

Sponsors and participants in the art mural project pose at the University of Artemisa.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe were working so closely together that at times I forgot I don\u2019t speak Spanish and they don\u2019t speak English,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cWe were speaking art. Art obliterates barriers. That\u2019s a cool feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kardas, meanwhile, found himself reverting to the language he had not spoken since he was 14. \u201cI grew up bilingual in English and Spanish. I don\u2019t think about what I\u2019m going to say (in Spanish), it just comes out. Every time I go to Cuba, my Spanish gets better, but I don\u2019t think anyone in the world can do something like this without a competent translator.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ramirez helped with translation and documented work on the project. She and Ochs also took photos of life on the street, which was colorful, loud and vibrant.<\/p>\n

Ochs said he and his team worked to ensure that the mural was an artwork that related to the people who would see it every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did nothing for decoration, everything was to communicate or express meaning,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the same thing we try to get our students to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the project illuminated the talents of the Cuban art students. \u201cThey had a strong foundation in the language of elements and principles of design.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"y-finished-mural\"<\/a>

Steven Ochs, art professor at Southern Arkansas University, and a team of Cuban art professors and students completed this mural at the University of Artesmia.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ochs gave instruction in safe handling of tools. \u201cThis was the first time the students or professors had used these tools. It took a little while for them to gain confidence. Professor Pedro Llano was surprised I was letting people help. They thought I would be creating (the mural) myself and they would watch. I told him it was more important that we all have ownership of the mural. Since we were leaving the tools as a gift from Bosch, it was also important that they learn to use them properly, so they may create murals in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cubans and Americans \u201cworked so well together,\u201d he said. The students \u201cwere focused, excited, energetic and showed a real love for the project through their actions. Several times, we would stop to negotiate color, techniques, etc., and always arrive at a consensus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both professors commented on the food. Breakfast consisted of a ham and cheese bun and coffee. They were frequently served orange soda, which Ochs said was \u201cthe equivalent of sweet tea in the South.\u201d For dessert: a piece of cheese in guava sauce.<\/p>\n

They also saw lots of construction. \u201cIf one wasn\u2019t paying attention, you could step off the edge and fall eight feet to the ground. In America, everything we do in construction, manufacturing, etc., is to avoid being sued. Here, pay attention or it\u2019s your own fault,\u201d Ochs said.<\/p>\n

On their last day in Cuba, they heard of the death of Castro. \u201cAs Americans, we were a little uneasy not knowing how everyone was feeling or how they would react,\u201d Ochs said. \u201cAn interesting thing happened that morning while I was photographing around our hotel. A man in his sixties approached me and asked if I had a permit to take photos. I told him no and signaled to Veronica to help out with the translations. According to him, I couldn\u2019t take photos without a permit.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was thinking, \u2018Are we stuck here, are we going to be able to get out?\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ochs was reminded that he had been out every day \u201ctaking photos of people, cars, dogs, architecture, without a problem from anyone.\u201d The old man, he said, was remembering \u201cthe way things used to be, not thinking of how they are today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had anticipated that Castro might die while we were in Cuba,\u201d Kardas said, \u201cbut it took me by surprise. I was thinking, \u2018Are we stuck here, are we going to be able to get out?\u2019 But the airport was normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kardas said Castro \u201chad exiled a generation while taking their property and killing many of their family and friends. I could understand the joyous demonstrations in South Florida after his death was announced.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said it is a \u201cshame that Cuba is so close (to the U.S.) yet so distant in many other ways. Cuba is a unique place. It\u2019s at once cosmopolitan, hip, rural, vital and safe. It\u2019s also socialist and run with an incredible amount of red tape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plans for delegates from Artemisa to visit SAU next year \u201care being carefully prepared,\u201d Kardas said. \u201cWe want it to be an all-inclusive plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"x-sau-plaque\"<\/a>

Art students at the University of Artemisa pose with a commemorative plaque given by Southern Arkansas University.<\/p><\/div>\n

He said Dr. Trey Berry, SAU president, is supportive of an exchange program with Artemisa, as are school officials there. Any program, however, must be designed to satisfy the Cuban government. \u201cThe trick is to get it approved,\u201d Kardas said.<\/p>\n

Before departing Artemisa, \u201cvictory photos\u201d were taken with all the professors and students who worked on the mural. \u201cOur Cuban friends gave each of us a gift bag,\u201d Ochs said, \u201cand we received caricatures that were hilariously accurate and very well executed. We were also presented with an official document of appreciation from the University.\u201d The SAU delegation also gave a plaque; each of the participating Cubans was photographed holding the plaque.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope to bring our Cuban friends to Magnolia next summer to work on a big project on our campus,\u201d Kardas said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two Southern Arkansas University professors visiting Cuba over the Thanksgiving break found themselves in the country during a historic event: the death of Fidel Castro. Dr. Edward Kardas, distinguished professor of psychology and director of the SAU Honors College, and Steven Ochs, professor of art, were in Cuba Nov. 20-26 working on an art project… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":564,"featured_media":5800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[271,94,309,297,207,276,32641,7753,288],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5799","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-admissions","9":"category-art-and-design","10":"category-bss","11":"category-college-of-liberal-performing-arts","12":"category-community-corner","13":"category-featured-layout","14":"category-homepage","15":"category-regional-news","16":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/564"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5799\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}