What is Fusterlandia?
Fusterlandia is a bright, colourful neighbourhood in the district of Jaimanitas, Havana. José Rodríguez Fuster moved there in 1975 where he eventually transformed the area from a run down fishing village into a work of art. Both tourists and locals alike admire the beauty found here. Fuster started by decorating his own house and studio with brightly coloured mosaic and painted tiles. Then he started asking his neighbours if he could turn their houses into works of art too. Subsequently more and more people agreed. Today his art covers not only houses but also public spaces including playgrounds and bus stops. On your day trips from Havana to Fusterlandia you can bask in the beauty of the neighbourhood as well as purchase works of art to take home.
José Rodríguez Fuster-The Artist
José Rodríguez Fuster was born in 1946 in Villa Clara, Cuba. He studied at the Escuela Nacional de Instructores de Arte in Havana. Fuster works in ceramics, painting, drawing and engraving. He drew inspiration for his neighbourhood from Gaudi in Barcelona and Brancusi in Romania. People often call him the Picasso of the Caribbean. So far Fuster has decorated more than 80 of his neighbours’ houses. He uses the money he makes from selling his artwork to give back to the community by adding more brightly coloured artwork to people’s homes and public spaces.
Tourists can regularly engage with Fuster while he works in his studio where he welcomes people to visit and chat with him about his art. He has won a number of awards. Perhaps his highest honour was received in 1996 when he was given the Distinction of National Culture Award by the Cuban government. Today Fuster inspires both children and adults in his neighbourhood to become artists.
Day Trips From Havana are Best Taken with VC Tours
Booking a guide and driver with a vintage car through VC Tours is the best way to explore Fusterlandia. Our tours are available in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Italian. Our guides are knowledgeable, respectful and helpful. Spend as much or as little time at each location as you like to suit your needs. Get some great photographs to share your experiences with everybody when you return home. Allow a local to help you see Fusterlandia and all it has to offer today. Without a doubt, you’ll be glad you did!
