“Manuel Mendive: Nature, Spirit and Body”

For nearly a half century, Cuban artist Manuel Mendive has explored the religion of the Yoruba people of West Africa, whose homeland includes parts of present-day Nigeria, Benin and Togo. Aspects of their spiritual tradition have been passed down—mainly through the slave trade—to Caribbean religions such as Voodoo and Santeria, both of which are practiced in Cuba. Mendive’s multidisciplinary approach to the subject includes performances that re-enact Yoruba-inspired rituals.