By optimism transmitted by their words and eyes, it looks like that whose birthday is the man and not the institution. Although views things in perspective, both are the same: Alberto Lescay Merencio and Caguayo Foundation up to their early 20's.
The santiaguero Lescay Merencio emblematic Cuban sculptor is the president of "Caguayo" and was the work of the institution over two decades, the focus of the conversation with Alberto, creator of the equestrian statue on Bronze of the Titan Antonio Maceo in the Plaza of the Revolution of this city.
The painter of the "Travel Light", the enthusiastic host of the Temple Street House in Blanca, in the distribution populous Portuondo, where every July "loaded" the Mpaka with "all positive" of the Caribbean Festival, said:

"These 20 years have served to prepare. We cannot forget that "Caguayo" arises in the special period, when it was hard to think of undertaking new projects. And we told to the country's leadership our intention to do so without seeking any recourse. And we assume the challenge: do it with what we had, and also prove ourselves".
Then, in the workshop where since 1987 we worked to realize the monument to Maceo in the Square, in the area known as The Caguayo, near the village of Dos Caminos de San Luis, about 20 kilometers north of Santiago de Cuba he began to develop the adventure that has survived to this day. There are the foundries of Caguayo Foundation.

"Strength and will never lacked," says Lescay, who affirms that the first stage, bloody, was defeated. There was no tradition casting ceramic or less artistic ... and cast in Cuba was not developed by the absence of a professional workshop. Only in art schools specialty basics were taught. But a smelter is forged in the workshop. "
And the "laboratory" to melt in the Caguayo, opened the possibility of creating a school of art of Cuba smelters. Utilitarian pottery, with a high aesthetic sense, was another response to orders that keep coming from all over the country, tourism.

Ceramics and foundry helped sustain the effort. "And to meet the tax obligations of the country also came Caguayo added Lescay-- Commercial Production Company; profits are given to the Foundation, which decides what to do with those funds. In these 20 years they have served to develop the company Caguayo SA and then, through the Foundation, which is a nonprofit institution par excellence altruistic, public, are used to develop cultural projects, ranging from organizing exhibitions to support the promotion of the visual arts, applied arts, with an emphasis on design as an element of integration of society. No design no prosperity. "

Finally, support, organize and plan the Cuban culture is the essence ... better: the very existence of "Caguayo" inseparable part of the cultural fabric in the country.

Caguayo system forming the Caguayo Foundation for Monumental and Applied Arts, and Caguayo SA Productive and marketer for the Monumental and Applied Arts with the same corporate purpose; It has also projected national and universal character, as it is the culture, art.

This allowed -and obligó- to expand the country's capital to the working, creating an office in Havana; then, tourism development in central Cuba requested something similar that exists today in Camagüey ...

In short, is getting the artists and customers closer to the entity. "Caguayo" for now has galleries in Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba, the latter opened last July 25 in Manduley Avenue, between 11 and 13, Vista Alegre, indeed beautiful and very functional, with distinctive touches as his "street 1907 "shops, gallery, cafeteria ... where you can buy works, objects, furniture ... always artistic.

Productively and economically, "Caguayo" is efficient, and therefore more responsive to social project. Socialism requires it to be built in Cuba; a system that delivers more and that social commitment is greater.

In "Caguayo" two decades later, there are essential names and the first moments of the day: Evelio Montane, Roger Alexis Fajardo, welding equipment in the workshop, Omar; the first workers of the workshop: Juan A. Lescay, yeoman, who even founded a nearby farm to offset the special period (never strayed or a screw); Antonio Desquirón, Sahily Rivas, essential secretaries; Luis Ramirez, great designer-winning and now vice president of the Foundation; Juan Fajardo, director of the business side; Juan, deputy economic system ...

A super goal of the institution is to help respond to the great development of talent led by Cuban art education system created by the Revolution, and the expectations of great Cuban artists. In Caguayo they have merged many works abroad and others are stationed in Cuba: Cimarron, the equestrian Maceo, Martí grows, the Bayamesa Rosa, Che, John Lennon, Villa; Accuser in Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribune; setting projects to develop tourism and Old Havana; Capitol assume furniture, and already ready for the great monument to Mariana Grajales, so Lescay is considered as he says "a man of very lucky with my team to the Plaza of the Revolution, and over 20 years later , have the honor to Maceo's mother of all Cubans. "

Finally, Lescay says: "Done? No. Satisfied, Yes. We are always prepared to do more. I'm afraid to 'sleep on their laurels'. Sandy broke the workshop, much was lost. But as the caguayo own, regenerative animals: you cut off the tail and stronger and bigger, in two months and will of the people of Santiago and sanluiseros workers, we got up. And here we are. So I'm happy "