The José Martí Symbol: Busts and Monuments

The José Martí Project for World Solidarity seeks to promote the presence of José Martí’s image through sculpture, painting, design, photography and other artistic expressions in as many countries around the world as possible.

The universality of José Martí and the creation of thousands of plaques, busts, and monuments in various countries around the world predate the emergence of this Project and is due to the interest that the figure of José Martí has historically aroused in students, professors, artists, intellectuals, and the general public, due to the depth of his thought, his leading role in the end of Spanish colonial domination in Cuba at the end of the 19th century, and the influence that his humanist, emancipatory, ethical, and socio-political thought has had in the struggle against imperialist domination and in favor of the creation of a Republic of Cuba and a sovereign and united Our American continent.

Within the framework of this Project, we promote the knowledge and study of the life, work, and example of José Martí through the visual presence of his symbol. Likewise, we encourage and publicize the spontaneous efforts undertaken in countries around the world to erect busts or monuments commemorating José Martí and important figures in his life, as well as the creation of plazas, streets, schools, and other institutions named after or related to him.

In what formats is it most common to find the image of José Martí in different countries of the world?

It is common to find spaces dedicated to José Martí such as diplomatic missions of Cuba and other countries, parks, squares, streets, promenades, forests, gardens and educational, cultural and research institutions.

In these places, works dedicated to or inspired by the life and work of José Martí are often located, including paintings (oil paintings, engravings, posters) and sculptures (monuments, statues, busts, sculpted heads, plaques or signs).

Similarly, in cultural spaces it is possible to find songs, dances, plays, films, documentaries, photographic exhibitions, as well as numismatic and philatelic collections dedicated to or inspired by José Martí or where there are reference of him.

Even when circumstances vary, it is possible to say that the international presence of the image of José Martí is considerable and many of the initiatives that have made it possible have to do with the voluntary and selfless activity of friends, collaborators and members of the Project.

How can we contribute to the presence of José Martí’s image in various countries?

Through the Project we seek opportunities to dedicate public spaces to José Martí, to his humanist, artistic-literary, scientific, economic, philosophical, political-social thought and any other aspect that is closer to the people of each territory or country.

We are always willing to collaborate with information about José Martí and his presence in every country in the world, as well as to facilitate access to national or international artists with recognized work, so that we can collaborate with all those interested in paying tribute to José Martí through the creation of artistic or monumental works, or by dedicating spaces and institutions to José Martí and his legacy.

Where are there busts and monuments dedicated to José Martí today?

Currently, there are thousands of busts, monuments, and other works of art in more than 100 countries worldwide. As part of the Project, we created an interactive inventory to showcase this impressive collection, which is the result of decades of continuous work with diplomatic missions, solidarity groups with Cuba, Cuban émigré groups abroad, and the interest of many individuals, institutions, and local governments in dozens of countries.

In particular, the Yearbooks of the Center for José Martí Studies (CEM) have collected nearly 60 locations of plaques, busts and monuments from the 1970s to the present, in countries such as Spain, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, the United States, France, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Lebanon, Martinique (Fr), Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Romania, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

Learn more: Interactive Martí Atlas

Contact Information:

Coordination of the José Martí Project for World Solidarity: Héctor Hernández Pardo, Deputy Director of International Relations and Collaboration of the José Martí Program Office (OPM):

Cultural and Academic Relations Group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba

Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)