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Erica N Morawski, The Tropicana Cabaret: Designing Cosmopolitan Cubanidad in the 1950s, Journal of Design History, Volume 32, Issue 1, February 2019, Pages 52–68, https://doi.org/10.1093/jdh/epy027
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Abstract
In this article, I argue that the Tropicana nightclub’s 1950s design expresses a cosmopolitan cubanidad, that is, a Cuban identity shaped by a cosmopolitan view of itself within the larger world. I define cosmopolitan cubanidad as an idea of cosmopolitanism with universal tendencies that exists in tandem with possibilities of the particular and local. Moreover, I maintain that cubanidad is not an equivalent to creolization or to territorialist nationalism, but is a concept of an identity, or Cuban-ness, that, while cognizant of the local and national, is also attuned to its position within a global context and interested in international connections. Furthermore, I suggest that this idea could apply to other Latin American countries, though necessarily with a different name to represent a unique local identity. Methodologically, this essay combines an analysis of the historical particularities of the Tropicana with a close readings of primary sources, namely, the design of the spaces, ephemera and performances that pertain to the Havana nightclub, to explore the characteristics and influence of cosmopolitan cubanidad. I seek to show that the venue’s design demonstrates an engagement with the international design world while also attending to the cultural, political and climatic conditions of Cuba.
