Welcome to "Ciudad Corona"
(Corona Town), a collection of murals by Cuban
artist Yulier Rodriguez in the backyard of a
friend's home in southern Havana.
Rodriguez is one of several urban artists who
have taken to Cuba's walls to express anguish
but also hope regarding the coronavirus pandemic
- some in public spaces, others, like his, in
private for fear of running into trouble with
Communist authorities.
Cuba has reported 1,947 coronavirus cases and 82
deaths so far. Official data shows the Caribbean
island registered fewer than 20 new cases per
day over the last week compared to the 50 to 60
that were occurring daily in mid-April.
"I felt compelled to express the energy of the
moment, the way this illness drags along
everyone in its path, be they rich or poor,
military or civil," Rodriguez told Reuters.
Graffiti started gaining traction in Cuba in the
mid-2010s due partly to the increasing influence
of international culture as the country slowly
opened, allowing greater internet access and the
opportunity to travel.
For some artists, Cuba's many abandoned or
dilapidated buildings made for the perfect
canvas. The flipside is that public spaces are
tightly controlled, so artists have to be
careful with either their message or their
identity.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/May/08/images/ads/current/farmers_bank_sda_prom_050614.png)
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Apr/30/images/ads/current/sorrentos_sdadaily_HOMETOWNHEROS_2020.png) In a more upbeat mural in
central Havana, "Courage" is emblazoned in
capital letters above a multi-storey
black-and-white mural of a child wearing a face
mask on a dilapidated building.
"In Cuba, you need to live with courage all the
time," the author "Mr Myl" said, declining to
disclose his real name and covering his face
with a floppy hat and face mask.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/May/08/images/ads/current/graue_sda_2016.png)
In Cojimar, a fishing village east of Havana
that inspired Ernest Hemingway's novel, "The Old
Man and the Sea," a group of youngsters have
painted colorful murals on ruins by the sea. One
depicting a child holding a rainbow-colored
pinwheel against a flowery background is
dedicated to healthcare workers fighting the
virus.
Hip hop musician Sekou Sarrias, who led the
project, said the aim was not only to express
gratitude but also to provide joy to those
living among these ruins.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Sarah
Marsh; Editing by Paul Simao)
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