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General information about Bayamo Wax Museum
Wax museums are not a new phenomenon. This technique has hundreds of years and has always been an object of curiosity, education and entertainment.
In these museums expositions of modeled wax figures and objects are displayed.
Inside popular characters of the entertainment, politics and sport in their most famous poses are recreated. Manufacturing techniques and incorporating details reaches to realistic figures.
The wax museum by its very nature is considered an art museum. In Cuba, the first gallery with waxworks was opened on July 14th, 2004, in a small room of the General Garcia Paseo in the eastern city of Bayamo.
Three years later, on December 29th, 2007, the gallery became a museum and was moved to a new building in the same pedestrian street.
The Wax Museum of Bayamo reached a high degree of social recognition as a unique institution in the museum community. One of the greatest strengths of the institution constitutes a broad socio-cultural community work.
Particularities of Bayamo Wax Museum
Since the opening the Bayamo Wax Museum has substantially increased its collection, for it came to exceed the seventy pieces sculpted in wax.
One hundred percent of the pieces on display in the museum have been empirically created by Barrios Madrigal family (father and two sons).
These talented artists use in their work the art of modeling with polychrome wax life-size works. His technical mastery and imagination are two of its most important premises.
Another distinctive feature is that they do not use prosthesis in his works.
Teeth, nails and eyes are also made of wax. There is on display a remarkable amount of wax pieces, all life size.
Most of them are reproductions of Cuban birds and reptiles, located in a room specially dedicated to the natural sciences.
Relevant popular characters from the Bayamo region of are also there, as is the case of Francisco Jerez, a tireless advocate of local history, which was very worried all his life to preserve the historic city of Bayamo and was popularly known by the nickname Paco Pila.
In addition there is the figure of Rita La Caimana (Rita The Alligator), a unique character of the area that passed to posterity thanks to the lyrics of a famous song by the popular duo Los Compadres.
The Bayamo Wax Museum and its Collection
Much appreciated in the institution are the sculptures of renowned musicians Benny Moré – considered one of the most prolific Cuban composers and singers, also known as the King of Rhythm – Compay Segundo, Polo Montañes – known as the Natural Guajiro – Carlos Puebla and Sindo Garay.
he latter was virtuoso guitarist with singer creations of political and social fields. All the figures have an impressive accuracy.
The image of the young Italian Fabio Di Celmo, who was a victim of terrorism against Cuba, is also widely accepted by mainly young visitors.
Giustino di Celmo, father of the young martyr, sent from his native country a complete footballer clothing that belonged to his son and that bears the replica that is on display at the Wax Museum of Bayamo.
Bola de Nieve, the unforgettable Cuban musician, is the new work added to the collection. The remarkable musician appears sitting with his inseparable piano.
