![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J4CI3NJM6ZG4RJTOBICF2AKXY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9fc16a55fa8119e6426fa8ffaed5625420b5c842d5c0c673fc271a669dc369d0&width=400&height=225)
The building in the background is part of the art school complex shown in April 1964 which was built outside Havana, according to the efforts of the Castro government for better education in Cuba. Shortly after taking power, so the story goes, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara played a round of golf at the former Country Club and decided that the extensive grounds should be used for art education. (AP Photo/Peter Hillebrect)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EQOHCGV54YMTVP7N3LQFS565SA.jpg?smart=true&auth=8423717509d1e949ca7f89418eeaacc20b1520b996f29c76dabf744185695924&width=400&height=225)
Norma Barbacci. Courtesy Pilar Rubi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7BCP5HCHPRPVD4447PMUGK7VXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c00d1d67bd7066d8cb4fd39e6e8cd19f2bde1a31a6ce4f5599c72e89fe1a975b&width=400&height=225)
The architects used the Catalan vault technique to build soaring domes. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSH2GXXZ73LDSVEYKBISKRBUOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cee4acd8341949f8e9a6f230267acbd84c277d1900ac85e1a7288cb0d15e5427&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted students to climb on the roofs of his ballet school. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Y65B6AONJBYOXAVRBFYNMDEEKA.jpg?smart=true&auth=adbb4bc9a02fc3c01291ee05eda70b4ea1899495ed6fce310aafd5c99391fda3&width=400&height=225)
Part of the ballet school is underground. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7LKWS7MYJNOFT3THLRSE2XHEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2fce960a2dabd4322f42fd675b3974002feb141b15fffbf9416f087a4d602e9&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted water to flow through his ballet school India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7C6D6KJ2SDCCK4T2R2KLHZKP7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=75eb86a625637301d7e23ad7c518adedd2d2ff7a742c71558d1b0d8f27cdee15&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted students to climb on the roof of his ballet school. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/H77BKDXPU3ODAFG2TEZ5CV6FOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=e5843b3d9a3bf829eecb75c6791abb9349d6e8a10921db851035621cf361f49f&width=400&height=225)
The art schools were made using local Cuban brick and terracotta. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2VJWP5JWZX7FKTNLBNYZXZAJ6Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=5886692a8deacdc5019a4618916a6f29ffea64b7424902de7a2f8451d00caf51&width=400&height=225)
Sheep graze beside the ruins. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QROXRDB3N7XFRZ6PWLQCEVMQP4.jpg?smart=true&auth=85c7393af3ba7afd940c24fd64475219e301bfe4b13a716fd4535ac84b576832&width=400&height=225)
Plants and tress now grow inside the ruins of the abandoned schools. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HU7WKPBK7Q2J7MYP6YPH5YHS5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=9914f9c5f9e716a0ceb24244396968aea1ba46dd75f847b6eb8adb2bcc2dfbba&width=400&height=225)
The ballet school is a maze of curving tunnels. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HOC55CDB3SL4QJXOCK7AEHFFWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=bda160b0c541900ba149218b58b9673e49870bf8d6d4e3b91c3838934ff86245&width=400&height=225)
The ruined schools are among the finest examples of intrinsically Cuban architecture. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4YKXX7XC4MEVHIFQWD2CKTXNCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a8a8279c5ae8ca99902fd3e8ee9d423e4862e5331c83925d24cc875a5fe4aebd&width=400&height=225)
The ballet school's library had beautiful curving walls and no door. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UZUHUHPY6UEH4B5ZWZGWS45CUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=82fb21d7df94ecfc280831a2b14b5b2b43738d3b6dc05be414c05061859ed58a&width=400&height=225)
Ricardo Porro’s School of Plastic Arts was one of the only buildings to be completed. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5Y45MJFNABHVWA4CL5XWOHPV6U.jpg?smart=true&auth=823e5af755fdd4085eba1148e181146317a3dd76b050f27f8d6af3e1ddb4c55a&width=400&height=225)
This building belongs to the new Art School built near Havana shown in April 1964. The Castro government is trying to provide for better education in Cuba by building a National Arts School on the site of a derelict golf course. This school occupies an area of the former Havana Country Club. (AP Photo/Peter Hillebrecht)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J4CI3NJM6ZG4RJTOBICF2AKXY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9fc16a55fa8119e6426fa8ffaed5625420b5c842d5c0c673fc271a669dc369d0&width=400&height=225)
The building in the background is part of the art school complex shown in April 1964 which was built outside Havana, according to the efforts of the Castro government for better education in Cuba. Shortly after taking power, so the story goes, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara played a round of golf at the former Country Club and decided that the extensive grounds should be used for art education. (AP Photo/Peter Hillebrect)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EQOHCGV54YMTVP7N3LQFS565SA.jpg?smart=true&auth=8423717509d1e949ca7f89418eeaacc20b1520b996f29c76dabf744185695924&width=400&height=225)
Norma Barbacci. Courtesy Pilar Rubi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7BCP5HCHPRPVD4447PMUGK7VXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c00d1d67bd7066d8cb4fd39e6e8cd19f2bde1a31a6ce4f5599c72e89fe1a975b&width=400&height=225)
The architects used the Catalan vault technique to build soaring domes. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QSH2GXXZ73LDSVEYKBISKRBUOA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cee4acd8341949f8e9a6f230267acbd84c277d1900ac85e1a7288cb0d15e5427&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted students to climb on the roofs of his ballet school. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Y65B6AONJBYOXAVRBFYNMDEEKA.jpg?smart=true&auth=adbb4bc9a02fc3c01291ee05eda70b4ea1899495ed6fce310aafd5c99391fda3&width=400&height=225)
Part of the ballet school is underground. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N7LKWS7MYJNOFT3THLRSE2XHEM.jpg?smart=true&auth=f2fce960a2dabd4322f42fd675b3974002feb141b15fffbf9416f087a4d602e9&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted water to flow through his ballet school India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7C6D6KJ2SDCCK4T2R2KLHZKP7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=75eb86a625637301d7e23ad7c518adedd2d2ff7a742c71558d1b0d8f27cdee15&width=400&height=225)
Garatti wanted students to climb on the roof of his ballet school. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/H77BKDXPU3ODAFG2TEZ5CV6FOE.jpg?smart=true&auth=e5843b3d9a3bf829eecb75c6791abb9349d6e8a10921db851035621cf361f49f&width=400&height=225)
The art schools were made using local Cuban brick and terracotta. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2VJWP5JWZX7FKTNLBNYZXZAJ6Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=5886692a8deacdc5019a4618916a6f29ffea64b7424902de7a2f8451d00caf51&width=400&height=225)
Sheep graze beside the ruins. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QROXRDB3N7XFRZ6PWLQCEVMQP4.jpg?smart=true&auth=85c7393af3ba7afd940c24fd64475219e301bfe4b13a716fd4535ac84b576832&width=400&height=225)
Plants and tress now grow inside the ruins of the abandoned schools. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HU7WKPBK7Q2J7MYP6YPH5YHS5Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=9914f9c5f9e716a0ceb24244396968aea1ba46dd75f847b6eb8adb2bcc2dfbba&width=400&height=225)
The ballet school is a maze of curving tunnels. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HOC55CDB3SL4QJXOCK7AEHFFWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=bda160b0c541900ba149218b58b9673e49870bf8d6d4e3b91c3838934ff86245&width=400&height=225)
The ruined schools are among the finest examples of intrinsically Cuban architecture. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4YKXX7XC4MEVHIFQWD2CKTXNCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a8a8279c5ae8ca99902fd3e8ee9d423e4862e5331c83925d24cc875a5fe4aebd&width=400&height=225)
The ballet school's library had beautiful curving walls and no door. Photo by India Stoughton
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UZUHUHPY6UEH4B5ZWZGWS45CUE.jpg?smart=true&auth=82fb21d7df94ecfc280831a2b14b5b2b43738d3b6dc05be414c05061859ed58a&width=400&height=225)
Ricardo Porro’s School of Plastic Arts was one of the only buildings to be completed. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5Y45MJFNABHVWA4CL5XWOHPV6U.jpg?smart=true&auth=823e5af755fdd4085eba1148e181146317a3dd76b050f27f8d6af3e1ddb4c55a&width=400&height=225)
This building belongs to the new Art School built near Havana shown in April 1964. The Castro government is trying to provide for better education in Cuba by building a National Arts School on the site of a derelict golf course. This school occupies an area of the former Havana Country Club. (AP Photo/Peter Hillebrecht)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J4CI3NJM6ZG4RJTOBICF2AKXY4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9fc16a55fa8119e6426fa8ffaed5625420b5c842d5c0c673fc271a669dc369d0&width=400&height=225)
The building in the background is part of the art school complex shown in April 1964 which was built outside Havana, according to the efforts of the Castro government for better education in Cuba. Shortly after taking power, so the story goes, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara played a round of golf at the former Country Club and decided that the extensive grounds should be used for art education. (AP Photo/Peter Hillebrect)
The modernist ruins that tell the story of Cuba’s revolution
Cuba’s National Art Schools remain symbols of its shifting political landscape
India Stoughton
04 December, 2019
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