©Vivian Macdonald, 2008.
United States
Daytona, Florida
Who knew?
In a town where the focus is on life in the fast lane – literally – there is an oasis of quiet beauty. At a good distance from the famous Daytona Speedway, the Museum of Arts and Science is set in the lovely 90-acre Tuscawilla Park. Its collection began with a gift of Cuban art, presented in the 1950s by then Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, the man who was ousted in 1959 by Fidel Castro and his band of brothers.
The question, though, is whether it was his to give. Was it a private collection or did it actually belong to the Cuban people? The current Cuban government says Batista stole art and also bought paintings and sculpture with money he plundered from the nation’s treasury. When he fled Cuba in 1959, his critics allege, he took with him on three aircraft as much as $700 million. He was denied entry to the United States and went on to Portugal and then to Spain, where he died in 1973. (His wife, Marta, died recently in Palm Beach, Florida, where she had lived for 20 years.) It is said that the government of Fidel Castro wants the collection returned to Cuba.
“I’ve never ever ever heard that,” says David Swoyr, Gary R. Libby curator of art and curator of collections, as well as curator of exhibitions. “As I understand it, these were his (Batista’s) paintings in the national gallery” of Cuba. There is no official word on the Daytona collection. Calls to the Cuban embassy in Ottawa were not returned.
During his rule, Batista and his wife owned a home in Daytona Beach and built the collection of paintings, prints and folk art that became his legacy to city. While in the U.S. the couple also created the Cuban Foundation, which was designed to oversee the collection. Their grandson, Roberto, who lives in the area today, is still a member of the foundation board.
Daytona, Florida
Who knew?
In a town where the focus is on life in the fast lane – literally – there is an oasis of quiet beauty. At a good distance from the famous Daytona Speedway, the Museum of Arts and Science is set in the lovely 90-acre Tuscawilla Park. Its collection began with a gift of Cuban art, presented in the 1950s by then Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, the man who was ousted in 1959 by Fidel Castro and his band of brothers.
The question, though, is whether it was his to give. Was it a private collection or did it actually belong to the Cuban people? The current Cuban government says Batista stole art and also bought paintings and sculpture with money he plundered from the nation’s treasury. When he fled Cuba in 1959, his critics allege, he took with him on three aircraft as much as $700 million. He was denied entry to the United States and went on to Portugal and then to Spain, where he died in 1973. (His wife, Marta, died recently in Palm Beach, Florida, where she had lived for 20 years.) It is said that the government of Fidel Castro wants the collection returned to Cuba.
“I’ve never ever ever heard that,” says David Swoyr, Gary R. Libby curator of art and curator of collections, as well as curator of exhibitions. “As I understand it, these were his (Batista’s) paintings in the national gallery” of Cuba. There is no official word on the Daytona collection. Calls to the Cuban embassy in Ottawa were not returned.
During his rule, Batista and his wife owned a home in Daytona Beach and built the collection of paintings, prints and folk art that became his legacy to city. While in the U.S. the couple also created the Cuban Foundation, which was designed to oversee the collection. Their grandson, Roberto, who lives in the area today, is still a member of the foundation board.
The Daytona collection is reputed to be the largest Cuban art treasure outside Cuba. It contains rare 18th, 19th and 20th-century maps, documents, lithographs, paintings and sculpture. The original collection comprised 27 paintings, 45 ceramics and various items of folk culture, photos of Cuban architecture and industry, and some ornate furniture.
Since then, additional objets d’art have been donated by a number of individuals “committed to keeping alive the rich artistic traditions and culture of Cuba,” the museum web site states. At the entrance to the exhibit, there is a Cuban flag and a bust of Jose Julian Marti, whom Swoyr describes as the “George Washington of Cuba.” The portraits and Fugencio and Marta Batista that usually hang just outside the entrance are missing on the day we visit. It’s not clear whether they have been removed temporarily or permanently.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences, a Smithsonian affiliate, also holds impressive collections of African art, European and Chinese decorative arts, the Nancy and Gilbert Levine Collection of 19th-century jewellery and the Olga Hirshhorn collection of 130 Ashante gold objects.
Since then, additional objets d’art have been donated by a number of individuals “committed to keeping alive the rich artistic traditions and culture of Cuba,” the museum web site states. At the entrance to the exhibit, there is a Cuban flag and a bust of Jose Julian Marti, whom Swoyr describes as the “George Washington of Cuba.” The portraits and Fugencio and Marta Batista that usually hang just outside the entrance are missing on the day we visit. It’s not clear whether they have been removed temporarily or permanently.
The Museum of Arts and Sciences, a Smithsonian affiliate, also holds impressive collections of African art, European and Chinese decorative arts, the Nancy and Gilbert Levine Collection of 19th-century jewellery and the Olga Hirshhorn collection of 130 Ashante gold objects.
“There’s a story behind the Ashante collection,” says Swoyr, with a grin. “I had gone to see Olga Hirshhorn about some bronze figures. She sent me up to the attic and when I unwrapped them … they were gold,” he exclaims. “I told Olga – they’re gold. ‘Oh, well, just take them,’ she said. Imagine, gold!” Of course, Swoyr didn’t say no.
At the other end of the building is the fascinating and eclectic Root collection, the gift of a wealthy and eccentric family who had moved from Indiana to Daytona Beach. “They owned the patent to the Coca-Cola bottle,” Swoyr explains. “Their glass company designed and made the first Coke bottles … and they actually had the rights to package Coca-Cola. So the wonderful Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta is all about the syrup and the stuff in the bottle and we’re all about the bottle and the packaging.” Naturally, there’s a collection of Coke memorabilia, including a delivery truck bought in 1922 for $15.
At the other end of the building is the fascinating and eclectic Root collection, the gift of a wealthy and eccentric family who had moved from Indiana to Daytona Beach. “They owned the patent to the Coca-Cola bottle,” Swoyr explains. “Their glass company designed and made the first Coke bottles … and they actually had the rights to package Coca-Cola. So the wonderful Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta is all about the syrup and the stuff in the bottle and we’re all about the bottle and the packaging.” Naturally, there’s a collection of Coke memorabilia, including a delivery truck bought in 1922 for $15.
The museum also owns two satellite sites, one in St. Augustine (Old St. Augustine Village) and Gamble Place, the hunting lodge once owned by James Gamble, the son of one of the founders of Procter and Gamble, and the man credited with inventing Ivory soap.
Jan McCormick, curator of history, is responsible for the Spruce Creek site where the Gamble house is located. She tells us about Ivory soap. “It was actually one of the workers who forgot to turn off the blenders when they went to lunch so it was whipping and beating and mixing and when they came back from lunch, instead of throwing out the soap, they went ahead and made up the bars and sent them out and forgot about it,” says McCormick. “A little bit later, they were contacted by the distributor who said ‘people are asking for more of that floating white soap’.” The rest, as we say, is history.
Jan McCormick, curator of history, is responsible for the Spruce Creek site where the Gamble house is located. She tells us about Ivory soap. “It was actually one of the workers who forgot to turn off the blenders when they went to lunch so it was whipping and beating and mixing and when they came back from lunch, instead of throwing out the soap, they went ahead and made up the bars and sent them out and forgot about it,” says McCormick. “A little bit later, they were contacted by the distributor who said ‘people are asking for more of that floating white soap’.” The rest, as we say, is history.
There is a good deal of history at Gamble Place. James Gamble was among “the first snowbirds down here,” says McCormick. He loved to hunt and fish and when he discovered the land at Spruce Creek (west of Daytona Beach), he was enchanted. “He ran across the owner, George Lefman, in 1898 planting a citrus grove. They went into George’s shack and when they came out George Lefman had $600 and James Gamble 150 acres.”
Gamble’s home was pre-fabricated – the first. “He loved anything new and innovative and the pre-fab home was just being showcased – the best thing since sliced bread, so he went ahead and bought it for his hunting retreat,” says McCormick. It’s a comfortable bungalow with a wide veranda and large windows to create a breezeway and is surrounded by lovely woodland.
Gamble’s home was pre-fabricated – the first. “He loved anything new and innovative and the pre-fab home was just being showcased – the best thing since sliced bread, so he went ahead and bought it for his hunting retreat,” says McCormick. It’s a comfortable bungalow with a wide veranda and large windows to create a breezeway and is surrounded by lovely woodland.
Down the path from the main house is a small log house with a large stone chimney. It’s the Snow White house. “How wacko is that,” Swoyr declares. It was built in 1937 by Gamble’s widower son-in-law, Judge Alfred Nippert, three months after the release of the animated featured Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
It is a replica of the Black Forest-style home of the seven dwarfs and includes a stairway to nowhere, with seven tiny headboards overhead, bearing the names Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy.
It is a replica of the Black Forest-style home of the seven dwarfs and includes a stairway to nowhere, with seven tiny headboards overhead, bearing the names Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy and Sneezy.
“I think he (Nippert) had the soul of a child,” says docent Carole Benge.
For more information, visit the Museum of Arts and Sciences or phone 386-255-0285. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Daytona Beach or call 1-800-854-1234.
For more information, visit the Museum of Arts and Sciences or phone 386-255-0285. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Daytona Beach or call 1-800-854-1234.