“The Conde de Lagunillas collection is one of the most valuable in Cuba.”
Protect, study and exhibit the different works of art in one of the axes that guides the management of Aymée Chicuri Lastra as Curator of the Art Rooms of Antiquity (Universal Art Building) at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba. Aymée is an eminent Egyptologist and curator who has under her custody the Anterior Asia and Egypt sections of the famous “Conde de Lagunillas” collection.
Among her most notable curatorial and research projects are:Mens sana in corpore sano” (2016),“Música, canto y danza: el arte de las musas en la Grecia Antigua” (2018), “Vasos cerámicos de Asia Anterior y Egipto en la colección del MNBA” (2021), “Fragmento de falsa puerta a nombre Pepy Anj” (2021), Vasos cerámicos de la colección Etrusca del MNBA (2021), “Cabeza de una estatua del dios Amón” (2021) and “El sarcófago de Tachebet: historia de un descubrimiento” (2022), among others.
Her work is formidable and continues to be promising. She is one of the curators with the most extended experience at the museum and is socially committed to the art of antiquity.
Interview with Aymée Chicuri Lastra Interview, curator of the art rooms of antiquity
After visiting the museum as part of the Pensarte Project's activities, the curator was interviewed to compile direct experiences and learn more about the “Conde de Lagunillas” collection.
Aymée Chicuri: It's a hard question. Hard because a person is not just one thing; there are many roles in life. In private life, Aymée Chicuri is an idealistic, romantic woman who loves archeology and ancient religions, but beyond all that, she is a mother and grandmother. I am an animal protector, and I like to collect plants of all kinds. In my public role, I am an archaeologist and art historian. I have worked as a specialist in the Antiquity collection in the Ancient Asia and Egypt sections at the National Museum of Fine Arts for over thirty years.
Q: What has been your excellent work during these thirty years as a curator?
A: A curator, as the word says, comes from the Latin word curātor"who is a guardian.” is responsible for taking care of the collection: the pieces are not damaged, do not suffer temperature changes, and are in the correct place. Beyond all that, I have tried to make the pieces speak to us and tell us their story.
Each piece is a documentary of the history of humanity, and the more you investigate it, the more heritage value it acquires because you can already say: “This piece belonged to… it served as such… or it was used for this…”.
In short, my role during these thirty years has been to be the guardian of these collections, and I have genuinely felt very blessed to be able to work in this area.
Q: When talking about art and this institution, the “Conde de Lagunillas” collection is expected to be considered one of the most important in Latin America and possibly one of the most fantastic attractions the museum shows. What importance does this collection have within Cuban and universal cultural heritage?
A: The “Conde de Lagunillas” collection is essential in our field because it is a collection typical of first-world countries, and having this set is a luxury in our context. Of its kind, it is the best in Latin America not only because of the number of exponents but also because of its quality. We are talking about more than 600 original pieces from five different cultures. That makes it one of the most valuable collections in all of Cuba.
Besides its high heritage value, this collection stands out for its magnificent display. It's beautiful! Every Cuban should feel proud to have it and to be able to care for, study and preserve it.
At our institution, we have received multiple professors and essential personalities from the world of archeology who have been able to value the Collection, study it and publish publications about it. The versatility of the Collection has made many young people interested in writing their undergraduate and master's theses on this collection.
Q: In that same sense, what could you tell us about the educational value of the collection for students in Cuba?
A: Due to its great diversity of pieces, the Collection has been and is a reference for many students of Art History, History and Journalism. It has been investigated by young people from different universities in the country and even by foreigners. Pieces from this collection have been used as a reference in television series, such as the case of the Panathenaic Amphora. Plastic arts workshops have also been held where the pieces are taken as a reference so that young people can learn to paint. Anyway... the collection has great educational potential.
Q: What is your favorite piece from the collection and why is it?
A: There are unique pieces in all Antiquity areas. But, we will say there is one very special to me: the head of the god Amun. Again, I'm not saying it's the most critical piece in the collection, but it's special to me.
This piece has a magical value. When I started working at the museum, it was the first time I had noticed it. I was contemplating it because, despite being small, it is made of basalt and has exquisite artistry. I stood there looking at her and thought: God Amon, what will your body be like?
One day, a specialist from France visited us and told us she had the body of a god. It was like a revelation as if the god Amun had fulfilled that dream for me.
From then on, I carried out multiple investigations, and we were able to unite the body and head of the god Amun digitally. The body is in the Louvre, and we have the head in the museum. I wish, one day, to unite the head with the body and have an exhibition with that piece.
Q: Could you tell us about your trips to Egypt and how this experience influenced your professional life?
A: My two trips to Egypt allowed me to study Egyptology first-hand and to surround myself with renowned specialists from the Council of Egyptian Antiquities. It was a privilege to visit the monuments, participate in excavations, and carry out studies that used my experience as a starting point. There are millions of emotional anecdotes; I am grateful to Egypt for the opportunity. It has been the most incredible experience I have had professionally.
Q: To conclude, what wish would you make regarding the future safeguarding of this heritage treasure, the Lagunillas collection?
A: What I have always wanted, Dr. Castro also liked, was for the Collection to be kept intact, cared for, preserved, and projected to the outside. I wish with all my heart that it continues to be given the value it has been given until now and that future generations come to love that work as I have loved it.
