Between October 2013 and the end of 2014, at the opening of the Center of Contemporary Culture in Castelo Branco, a city in the center of Portugal, the Berardo Collection of Latin American Art was presented. As part of the exhibition, comprised of 91 works of painting, video and sculpture from the 20th and 21st centuries, were pieces by Cuban artists such as Wifredo Lam and also young artists like Armando Mariño.
At the time I wondered whether there was a collector in Portugal who specialized in Cuban art and… in spite of it being a rarity, a little later I met José Sacramento, a man who was not only impassioned with Cuban culture and art, but also an excellent promoter who, as a private matter, has hosted numerous Cuban art events in his gallery. (…)
How did your collection begin?
I began my collection almost twenty years ago when I visited Cuba for the first time. I was immediately delighted with the island and its people. It was love at first sight. (…)
Did you arrive at Cuban art by mere chance or was it the result of a previous search in specific topics of your interest?
Actually, in the beginning it was mere chance but later, when I had met some artists, I faced the issue with professionalism and depth. (…)
Do you still maintain the same tastes or have you changed as you became more familiar with Cuban art?
(…) In my case, without leaving aside the artists with whom I began; today I work much more frequently with others like Ernesto Rancaño, Mabel Poblet, Oscar Osmeivy and Jorge Otero. (…)
