Boissy-le-Châtel, France —It’s a sleepy little town just 50 miles (77km) east of Paris in the scenic Seine and Marne region not too far from Disney Land Paris. Nestled on the banks of the Grand Morin river, a tributary of the mighty Marne,  sits a paper mill that has been converted into one of the largest contemptorary art galleries in the region. The ground-breaking Galleria Continua opened its flagship French gallery back in 2007 inaugurating an effervescent cultural beacon in this valley-filled rural area. The hangers of the paper factory have been transformed into spectacular exhibition spaces and the current show is an ode to contemporary Cuban art. 

Entitled Kaleidoscopes – Cuba: Contemporary Perspectives, the exhibition brings together some 25 Cuban artists exhibiting a profusion of works produced between the 1970s to the present. Exploring the idea of fragmentation and multiple perspectives, the title of the exhibition evokes the image of a kaleidoscope, a singular object shaping elusive forms from colored fragments, becoming a metaphor for the experience to come. Contemporary Cuban art is revealed through this singular prism, with each artist an essential piece of a mosaic in perpetual metamorphosis. Reinforcing its multi-faceted character, the structure of the exhibition is inspired by Julio Cortázar’s novel Hopscotch, an emblematic literary work that defies traditional narrative conventions and invites each reader to participate in the construction of the story, through multiple paths and reading possibilities. The exhibition explores the beauty, complexity and diversity of Cuban culture through the prism of contemporary art and underscores Galleria Continua’s long-term commitment to promoting and disseminating these works around the world. The Cuban Kaleidoscope exhibition, curated by Laura Salas Redondo and Niurma Pérez Zerpas, is on until October 20th. The scenic region of the Grand Morin Valley is in and of itself also worth the short trip out from Paris.

Galleria Continua was founded in 1990 by Mario Cristiani, Lorenzo Fiaschi and Maurizio Rigillo in the magnificent and timeless Italian city of San Gimignano. It aims, as its name implies, to give continuity to contemporary art in a landscape rich in signs of ancient art. Other locations followed including Beijing, Havana, Rome and Paris which opened in the historic Marais district in 2021. The Galleria Continua’s Paris venue  is more than just a beautiful exhibition space. There is a book store and a place for enjoying beverages, light meals, snacks and award-winning Italian ice-cream. And currently the space is exhibiting the visions of nature and the forest by the contemporary French artist Eva Jospin. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. Galleria Continua/Les Moulins: 46 rue de la Ferté Gaucher, 77169 Boissy-le-Châtel +33 (0)1 64 20 39 50 | +33 (0)6 74 95 46 94/ 87. Galleria Continua/Paris :rue du Temple, 75003, Paris, France, +33 (0) 1 43 70 00 88. http://www.galleriacontinua.com