The New York City launch of Fuacatapam, Iván Acosta‘s latest book, a masterful blend of storytelling, magical realism, and biting political satire. The story follows La India Agripina and her companion Don Liborio—symbolizing the Cuban spirit—on a surreal journey through post-revolutionary Cuba. They encounter iconic historical figures like José Martí, Antonio Maceo, and Félix Varela, yet La India’s sharp wit and irreverent humor flip expectations on their heads.
With echoes of Lydia Cabrera’s Afro-Cuban magic and the choteo (humor) so intrinsic to Cuban culture, this whimsical yet poignant satire reflects on political repression and the complex legacy of revolution, leading the reader into a vibrant exploration of imagination and identity.
The author will be joined in a panel by writer and literary scholar Rolando Pérez and journalist Luis Leonel León. Welcoming words by Dr. Elena Martínez, of Baruch College, and Dr. Perla Rozencvaig, of the CCCNY’s Literature Program.
BARUCH COLLEGE
VC-13 Room 150
Lexington at 25th Street, NYC
This event is part of our CreateNYC Language Access Series on Cuban History, Art, and Literature. It will be held in Spanish.
RSVP at: info@cubanculturalcenter.org
[Image above by the renowned Cuban artist Luis Cruz Azaceta, illustrator of Fuacatapam]
Iván Acosta is a playwright, film and theater director, advertising creative director, songwriter, and producer of Latin Jazz U.S.A. concerts and albums. He was born in the city of Santiago de Cuba and escaped the island by boat in August 1961 with his parents and sister. He has been living in New York City all his life. Acosta studied at New York University, and at the New School for Social Research. He served in the U.S Army 101st Airborne Division with Honorable Discharge. He has written 16 plays, of which nine have been published. His play “El Súper” premiered on November 5, 1977, and granted him international recognition that led to the eponymous film, which was shot in 1979. He is the author of “El Súper,” widely considered the most important play by a Cuban exile, winning over 40 prizes in the national and international arena, and inspiring the 1979 film by the same title. Acosta is the founder of the Cuban Cultural Center of New York (1972). He has served on the board of directors of the Comité de Intelectuales por la Libertad de Cuba, the National Hispanic Academy of Media Arts and Science, and the Cuban History Academy in Exile. His latest film, “Behind my Eyes” (“Detrás de mis ojos”), is being shown in various international film festivals. His books “With a Cuban Song in the Heart,” “The 40th Anniversary of ‘El Súper,’” and “Fuacatapám: La India Agripina” are currently available for purchase. He resides in Manhattan with his wife, Teresa, near his daughter, Yaritza, his son, Amaury, and his grandchildren.
Dr. Rolando Pérez is professor of philosophy and literature at Hunter College, CUNY. A poet, novelist, and playwright, he has written several books and over a dozen theater plays.
Lic. Luis Leonel Leon is a journalist, historian, and filmmaker. He writes for several publications in Latin America, Spain, and the United States. He is the founder and director of Colección Fugas, a Miami-based publishing company.
This event is presented in association with the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature at Baruch College
And is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
With the promotional cooperation of 14yMedio, Rialta, and Diario de Cuba
