Marta Cazañas Permuy

Marta Teresita Cazañas Permuy passed away on October 4, 2017 at the age of 79 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Marta is predeceased by her mother Raquel María Díaz y Teresa de Cazañas, her father Pedro Pablo Cazañas y García, and her brother Eduardo Enrique Cazañas y Díaz.

She is survived by her older sister Raquel Cazañas de la Huerta, her two daughters and five sons, her grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

"Background and Ancestry"

Marta was born in Havana, Cuba on September 22, 1938. Her heritage forms a colorful tapestry woven of prominent European lineages, most recently including the Cazañas, the Díaz, and the García families.

Her mother, Raquel Díaz Cazañas, was widely regarded as "a true lady" and the peak of elegance, composure, and genuine kindness. With immediate roots in Spain, Raquel exuded the Old World sensibilities of courtesy, grace, and poise which she lovingly instilled into her three children – Raquel, Marta, and Eduardo. These were paired with their cultural upbringing amidst the Cuban passion for life and trademark humor. Marta and her older sister would, in turn, pass these traits along to their own children. Raquel Díaz arranged for her daughters to receive their education at the leading Catholic school of Las Madres Escolapias de Cárdenas to best prepare them for future success. With a quiet and gentle strength, Raquel was a guiding light in her family and remained close with her daughters throughout her life. She also helped raise and care for her grandchildren, who continue to remember her fondly. In her final years Raquel was cared for by Marta at the Permuy House until her death in 1992.

Raquel's father, José Lorenzo Díaz, was a leading figure in the Cuban judiciary system. His illustrious career included serving as a Juez de Magistrado for the greater Colón area. He was married to María Teresa Teresa and their five children were regarded for their beauty in both appearance and personality. Raquel Díaz was their eldest child. Their younger daughter, Asela, would marry electric utility magnate René Vera, becoming Marta's uncle. The Díaz family was also admired for founding a large church to replace the small chapel by their hometown of San José de los Ramos, within the greater Matanzas region of Cuba.

In the Cazañas family, Marta's father, Pedro Pablo Cazañas, was also a prominent and politically active figure in the Cuban judiciary and a close associate of Fulgencio Batista. Having earned his doctorate in law from the University of Havana, he served as a municipal judge and later a highly-ranked Juez de Instrucción. While Cazañas and his children disagreed politically over his ties to Batista, it was arranged for Batista to serve as the witness to the high-profile 1956 wedding of his eldest daughter, Raquel (named after her mother), to the noted psychiatrist René de la Huerta. A state visit, however, required Batista to be replaced by a top government dignitary to act as his personal representative in the ceremony.

Pedro Pablo's father, Francisco Eduardo Cazañas, was a landowner and direct descendant of the Peraza and Bobadilla families of Spain through his father, New York-based landowner Francisco José Cazañas y Peraza, often anglicized to Francis J. Cazañas. They were also descendant of other notable Spanish and French Houses, such as the Haro, Lara, Guzmán, de Luna, Martel, and the Plantagenets (by way of Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile).

Francisco E. Cazañas, Marta's grandfather, was born in New Rochelle, New York and maintained ties and dual citizenship with Cuba and the United States. Francisco and his wife (Marta's grandmother), Enriqueta García y Martín de Cazañas, would travel frequently to the United States, foreshadowing the family's return there after the Cuban Revolution. Enriqueta García Martín was heiress of the García family of Spain and sister of regional Cuban Independence leader Dr. Félix García Martín, later the Chief Doctor and Administrator of the Port of Matanzas. Enriqueta unfortunately never knew her grandchildren due to her premature death of brain cancer before the births of Raquel, Marta, and Eduardo.

Perhaps Enriqueta's greatest legacy was her beloved Buena Vista estate in Matanzas, situated alongside the couple's other estates in the greater Cárdenas area, such as Pura y Limpia, Dolores and the older Dos Rosas. The sprawling lands and fully staffed properties were also important businesses in the area, especially in the sugar industry, with several later becoming sugar mill towns. As their main gem, Buena Vista showcased exquisitely crafted dark wood that was particularly noticeable in its balusters and distinctive high ceilings. Its grounds held a stream, hills, champion horses, and the family's cherished dogs, as well as a yacht for its proximity to the renown Varadero beach. Finca Buena Vista would serve as the main Matanzas residence of the Cazañas family for generations. They also had ties in the Cuban capitol of Havana, where Pedro Pablo's older brother Enrique was a prominent businessman. Marta and her sister Raquel would often stay in Enrique's Havana residence while they attended the University of Havana and studied law and chemistry, respectively.

Despite her cultural heritage, much of Marta's background was not known by most of even her closest friends. Marta instead preferred to maintain a sincere, approachable, and down-to-earth reputation throughout her life that endeared her to the greater South Florida community, especially in the arts.

"The Cuban Revolution and move to America"

Raised in a family background of public service, Marta lived her life as a deeply patriotic woman, both as a Cuban and later as an American. Marta earned a reputation as "a doer" – a person of action – early on. Like her father and grandfather before her, she aspired to serve in the Cuban judiciary and enrolled in the University of Havana School of Law.

With the outbreak of the Cuban Revolution, she became deeply involved in the Counter-Revolution against Fidel Castro, particularly through the student-driven Movement for Revolutionary Recovery (MRR) largely led by high-raking Castro defectors and members of the prominent Christian professional organization Agrupación Católica Universitaria (ACU). Proving to be someone who could be trusted with sensitive information and follow through on items of the utmost importance, she quickly became part of the highest levels of the Counter-Revolution's inner circles, as well as one of the only women in such a position. She would often stay at the Vedado home of her brother-in-law, René de la Huerta, the MRR's Secretary of Intelligence.

It was through her anti-Castro activities that she met her future husband Jesús Permuy, the MRR's National Secretary of Security, later advanced to Civil Coordinator and finally National Coordinator. Marta worked alongside him at every step as his main right-hand. Operating under an alias, she assisted in his missions by relaying messages, hiding contacts and supplies, organizing secret meetings, and coordinating between different cells of the resistance, among other essential high-risk activities. Her strength and resilience was evident early on as she regularly put her life in peril to return democracy to her home country of Cuba, even in the face of brutal government crackdowns, arrests, and assassinations of fellow friends and opposition figures.

Ultimately, with the failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961, she and Jesús were forced to use their diplomatic contacts to escape to Venezuela through Cuba's Venezuelan Embassy. They remained there for several months before finally securing safe passage to the United States in 1962. There they would marry, begin a family, and set about becoming active in the Miami and Washington D.C. communities before settling permanently in Coral Gables.

Marta's younger brother, Eduardo Enrique Cazañas Díaz (known as "Eduardito" to family and "Eddie" to friends in the US) would also fight for freedom in Cuba in 1959 before emigrating to America where he would study to become an agricultural engineer in Rhode Island. After marrying his girlfriend in 1965, he voluntarily enlisted to join the US Army and fight for his adopted country in the escalating Vietnam War. In 1967 he tragically died in action and was awarded two medals, including the Purple Heart, for his bravery. Eduardo's name is included in the National Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. As the rest of her family was still unable to leave Cuba at the time, Marta had the difficult task of handling the arrangements. He was laid to rest in South Florida's Lauderdale Memorial Park. Marta always kept his medals and letters in her room as her way to honor and remember him throughout her life.

"The Permuy Gallery"

A decade after laying their roots in the United States and pursuing the American Dream, Marta and Jesús went on to establish the pioneering Permuy Gallery with Marta as its General Manager. The Permuy Gallery is widely acknowledged by contemporaries – including Rafael Consuegra, Emilio Falero, Marcos and Josefina Pinedo, and others – as among the first commercial Cuban art galleries in the United States.

The historic Permuy Gallery had humble beginnings as a converted apartment space, though it seemed destined for a place in the arts. It previously served as the art studio for famed painter Juan González, who was in the process of relocating to New York City where he would achieve international success and recognition. The space was also neighboring the apartment of another noted Cuban painter, the Harvard-graduate Miguel ("Mickey") Jorge, who would become a frequent featured artist and participant of the gallery's flourishing social scene. Lasting from approximately 1972-1977, the Permuys transformed the apartment into a dynamic nexus of culture that was celebrated by the Cuban exile community. As one visitor in April of 1973 inscribed into on the gallery's iconic gilded guestbook: (translated and paraphrased from Spanish) "To Marta - In your corner of exile, art gains stature, emotion, and rhythm... You have made the apartment a small version of Cuba."

To achieve this, the entire space was freshly painted in a modern off-white coat. Then, with the help of sculptor Rafael Consuegra, a system of discreet and reinforced hooks was installed to give the paintings an elegantly immersive effect of floating off the walls. As anticipation built in the lead-up to the gallery's grand opening, the building owner was impressed enough to donate a vibrant, blue-green carpet to cover the full length of the floor. The finishing touches included stately curtains, dark benches, and a variety of exotic plants tastefully arranged to further enliven the space with tropical bursts of color and contrast the uniform white walls. By the end of this transformation, the space's history as an apartment was used to the venue's advantage by fostering an atmosphere that made guests feel at home in the gallery. This in addition to its prime location on Le Jeune Road (in close proximity to Coral Gables' main hub of Miracle Mile) well-positioned the Permuy Gallery to thrive.

Aside from the historical significance, the gallery would also fill a cultural void and became a haven for Cuban artists in exile who had few venues to display their work. As Cuban art historian Lynette Bosch details in her books, most sales of Cuban art up to that point would occur informally in homes and even garage sales, and at a fraction of their true value. There were also a small number of venues, such as frame shops and multi-use teaching studios, that informally sold Cuban artwork. However, by the early 1970s enough Cuban-Americans had established themselves socially and economically to allow for the fledgling Permuy Gallery to be a viable cultural and artistic venture that helped signal the launch of Miami's Latin art market in earnest. Once in full force, the Permuy Gallery would feature a diverse array of fine art mediums (painting, sculpture, ceramic, and others) as well as styles that were displayed in weekly exhibition rotations and available for purchase at various price points to maintain accessibility.

The gallery quickly grew in popularity as it developed a vibrant social scene. Fueling this was the gallery's renown "Fridays" tradition ("los viernes"). Every Thursday the Permuys would begin the long work of preparing for this main weekly event. These "Fridays" consisted of daytime wine-and-cheese exhibition receptions that grew in attendance throughout the day as attendees began to leave their jobs for the week and look to start the weekend. As the evenings progressed, these receptions would transition into the Permuys' evening salon gatherings that discussed wide-ranging intellectual themes including art, culture, literature, politics, and spirituality. These captivating salons would regularly stretch into two or even three in the morning.

Much like Gertrude Stein's influential Parisian Saturday salon, the Permuys' Fridays would become a significant gathering place for Cuban and South Florida artistic, political, and entrepreneurial VIPs while also keeping an atmosphere of openness and inclusivity to everyone. The gallery also earned an alluring reputation for its air of possibilities – the exciting sense that anything could happen at an event at the Permuy Gallery. You never knew who you might meet or what masterwork you would see – or purchase – during these Fridays. Many of those active in this social scene would lovingly remember this period at "Marta's gallery" with deep nostalgia. The impact of these Fridays continue to be felt across Coral Gables art galleries today in the city's ongoing "Gables Gallery Nights," now held on the first Friday of every month.

Predictably, the Permuy Gallery's social scene was soon identified with Marta's warm, charismatic, and engaging hosting abilities. With her signature flair and humor, Marta would introduce new visitors to the artists present as though they were already old friends, being sure to also give the artists the opportunity to proudly explain their creative process and the meaning behind each piece displayed. She had a gift for reading people and knowing just what kind of artist, style, or individual artwork they would respond to. Along the same lines, she would also occasionally play matchmaker as couples would meet at the gallery, some of whom now have grandchildren. A notable example was Marcos Pinedo and Josefina Camacho, who had their first date at one of the Fridays in late August of 1973. The artists they met through Marta would form the foundation of the now prestigious Pinedo Collection and today are featured alongside works by Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Alexander Calder.

Like the Pinedos, many regulars that began purchasing art at the Permuy Gallery remained lifelong collectors, even passing that support of the arts along to their children and grandchildren. These later generations would often remain in touch with Marta and continue to discover new artists and artworks through her for decades to come. These gatherings at the gallery also forged the framework for what would become known as a typical Permuy social event: culturally enriching, intellectually stimulating, community-building – and plenty of wine and cheese. This event format continues into the present with art exhibitions, fundraisers, and family functions.

Alongside its real estate, ambience, and events, another essential foundation of the Permuy Gallery's success was the consistent quality of artistic talent on display. If Marta was the heart of the Permuy Gallery experience, the artists were its lifeblood. The gallery's impressive guestbook reflected the diverse array of artists, some of whom were already well-established in Cuba while others were unknown newcomers that would become leading forces in forging the modern Miami art market during its rise to international prominence in the 1980s and '90s.

Among the established art corners were the GALA (Grupo de Artistas Latino Americano) group, the first professional group of exhibiting Latin American artists in South Florida. Their prestigious roster included well-regarded and award-winning Cuban artists Enrique Riverón, Baruj Salinas, José Mijares, Rafael Soriano, and Osvaldo Gutiérrez. Another key founding member was Rosana (sometimes spelled Roxana) McAllister, who was both the only woman and non-Cuban in GALA (being Argentinian), also became a gallery regular guest at the Permuy House. Though reserved and enigmatic, McAllister was a highly intelligent and influential figure in the arts who not only co-founded GALA but also the Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

Another important artistic group, albeit far more informal and unconventional, was the trio of artists Lourdes Gomez Franca, Dionisio ("Dennis") Perkins, and Miguel Jorge. The three would support and influence each other's artwork, as well as future generations, and were early fixtures at the gallery. They formed an inseparable bond, remaining close with Marta and her art circles for the rest of their lives. Tragically, Jorge would be the first to pass away in 1984 by suicide after a long battle with mental health that was central to his highly personal artwork and mercurial personality. His memory lived on in Lourdes, Perkins, and Marta's work to continue promoting and elevating his artistic reputation in their circles.

The Permuy Gallery also sold and displayed work by the legendary earlier generation of Cuban artists, the celebrated Vanguardia movement, including Víctor Manuel, Amelia Peláez, René Portocarrero, and Wifredo Lam. Indeed, Marta's own private collection included works by several Vanguardia masters – all of which were proudly displayed in her home alongside works by unknown or marginalized artists in a bold statement of support to less recognized talent.

Likewise, and perhaps most significantly, the gallery also supported and encouraged emerging artists, giving them equal footing among the established masters. Juan González, while still a largely unknown name, would often visit Miami after relocating to New York and remained active with the gallery by attending events and participating in group exhibitions. In the early 1970s there were also unrealized plans for a grand solo exhibition of his work to be curated by Marta, an early champion of his talent, before he attained great success in New York.

Rafael Consuegra and the young prodigy Emilio Falero would each have well-received solo exhibitions at the Permuy Gallery that led to later encore solo shows, in addition to their participation in group exhibitions. Falero's 1974 exhibition – his very first solo show – would set both a gallery and (still-standing) career record, selling more than twenty works in a single Friday showing. Miguel Jorge's 1973 exhibition drew significant attention and acclaim by leading South Florida art institutions, including a mention in the Latin art journal *Resumen,* and led to his solo exhibition the following year in the Bacardi Gallery.

So special was the relationship between the Permuys and this now thriving community of artists that the artists would frequently gift and dedicate personalized artworks to the couple, the gallery, or to Marta herself. This artist and community-centered ideology at the gallery was also how the Permuys insisted on doing business there. They never collected more than 25% in commissions at the gallery, and often far less, in yet another stark contrast to the well-established trend of galleries and dealers asserting upwards of 40% commission rates. Additionally, by structuring their exhibition schedule in weekly rotations (in a break with the 2-4 week exhibition standard), they ensured as many artists as possible could be featured, as well as maintaining an atmosphere of freshness and change for guests.

The gallery also offered generous long-term art consignment services to help artists and sellers improve their chances of selling their work beyond individual events and regularly coordinated and negotiated between artists, sellers, and collectors to achieve mutually agreeable sales. As with Marta's later art dealing, the objective at the Permuy Gallery was not to make the most these artists, but instead to help them succeed with livable earnings and create a thriving art community that everyone benefited from.

"Later Life"

The arts would remain Marta's great passion for the duration of her life with these artists and collectors becoming lifelong friends of the Permuy family. After the Permuy Gallery helped foster a sustained new scene of multiple Cuban art galleries by the late 1970s, Marta would continue to represent many of the gallery's featured artists individually in her art dealings, such as Lourdes, Perkins, Jorge, Consuegra, McAllister and others.

Marta also began hosting art events at her private residence, The Permuy House, in Coral Gables. The historic 1926 Merrick-era property located at 1544 Sopera Avenue served as an extension of the scene established in the gallery. The home was Marta's cherished base of activities for the rest of her life and deeply symbolic of her background. Its historic, quintessentially Coral Gables design bridged her European and Cuban roots with stately Spanish and Mediterranean Revival architecture complete with balusters, stucco facades, a grand fireplace, terracotta gabling, and original hardwood flooring and rails throughout. This was complimented with substantial Cuban influences, including original imported 1920s-era Cuban tiling in the porch and kitchen floors.

Another tropical flair was the home's instantly recognizable flamboyan (royal poinciana) tree and accompanying birdbath that greeted visitors at its entrance walkway. It was also a merging of old and new, featuring a mid-century extension by the famed modernist architect Alfred Browning Parker, and, of course, more than a few striking contemporary artworks and statement pieces. In all, it proved a perfect setting for Marta to continue hosting art functions, including her long-running salon gatherings, and earned a mention in the 2004 book *Cuban-American Art in Miami: Exile, Identity and the Neo-Baroque* as an important locale for the arts in the history of South Florida.

Echoing the earlier Buena Vista residence of her childhood, generations of Permuys would be raised in the home which remains in the family as it approaches its centennial year. Their character would also be shaped here as Marta embraced her matriarchal role. She made a point of instilling a sense of patriotism as a cornerstone of the Permuy upbringing. This was most evident in her leading the family Memorial Day tradition of visiting the grave of her younger brother, Eduardo, in Fort Lauderdale. Following in Eduardo's footsteps, three of her sons would go on to join the US Armed Forces while a fourth would become a top US Department of Defense official.

Another cornerstone was service to others. Even in moments where she faced her own personal struggles and challenges, Marta unceasingly gave what she could and helped however possible. When artists were desperate and in need of sales, she would always find collectors regardless of the market at the time. She opened her home to them not only for private exhibitions, but even to be used as an art studio on several occasions.

Lourdes Gómez Franca, for example, though a great rising star in pre-Revolution Cuba, was often excluded by the US art establishment due to her schizophrenia. Marta helped Lourdes significantly expand her base of collectors and invited her to paint at the Permuy House whenever she had no other space available to her, such as during her hospitalizations. Lourdes showed her gratitude with her signature expressionistic portraits of Marta, her mother Raquel Díaz, and the Permuy family. When visiting Marta, Lourdes was always joined by her dear friend from the gallery days, Dennis Perkins. The three would talk for hours and reminisce in these special moments that became therapeutic and cathartic experiences for them all. Indeed, the Permuy House was not only a place to display art, but to create it. Another enduring legacy of that spirit Marta created there is seen in the fact that the Permuy family continues to include artists, curators, and collectors across three generations.

In keeping with her strongly held beliefs on culture and community, Marta was committed to not only helping artists and collectors, but would also mentor generations of up-and-coming art dealers and help them become established, as she had with Marcos Pinedo. Marta would introduce them to artists and help them secure artworks to sell to their own collectors when they were going through difficult times. She gave advice, helping them develop strategies to improve their trade. Marta also lent out her rare, first edition texts on Cuban art, praised by friends as "a goldmine of knowledge," to fledgling dealers to help them deepen their understanding of the field. Her approach was purposefully in direct opposition to the competitive and commercial attitude of an increasingly ruthless Miami art market. Marta would also denounce the dealers she felt lacked integrity and conducted business in a way that hurt both the market and artists for the sake of improving their own margins.

Artists, however, always remained as the central consideration of Marta's art dealing. She would continue organizing events in support of artists and double-down on her famously rock-bottom commission structure, regularly accepting no commissions at all. On some occasions she accepted trades, such as sketches of new work, instead of direct monetary compensation. All of this was to ensure the artists received the full fruits of their labor when she sold their art.

When asked why she insisted on such unprecedented and generous business practices, Marta would comment on what she saw as the unethical standards in much of the art market, including a growing shadow market of forgeries, which left many artists struggling in meager conditions. She would often underscore this by remarking "How can I take from those who can barely feed themselves?" For her, art dealing, patronage, and collecting was always a true labor of love for the arts rather than a bottom-line business driven by cold calculations of investment potential and market value projections.

Marta firmly believed that artists should be celebrated and respected, and they loved her for it. Her distinctly humanistic art philosophy was especially rooted in seeking out and supporting artists who were outcast by the art establishment. This included: female artists, those struggling with mental health, and those discriminated against for their sexuality or background. Marta embraced them affectionately and without judgement. She also saw that their struggles fueled their art and placed them at the forefront of Miami's innovative avant garde movements within a burgeoning international art market that otherwise rejected them. As such, despite their talent, many were dismissed and their work was rarely featured on the same walls as established artists.

Her vision has proved prescient as several of the artists she supported early on would become internationally successful within their lifetimes (including González and Consuegra), while a growing number are now seeing the value of their work continue to increase substantially as they are discovered by wider audiences after their death, as is the case with the ""Tres Artistas Amigos"" trio of Lourdes, Dennis, and Micky, as well as McAllister and others - all of whom are now featured in prestigious public and private collections.

Despite her wide-reaching impact and spirited personality, Marta did not seek praise or recognition. Instead she preferred to use her influence away from the limelight to support others and keep the focus on the artists. For much her life she kept a frequent schedule of regular semi-weekly brunches and lunches with artists such and José Mijares and Dennis Perkins, checking in on their latest work and projects. Even as she struggled with her health in her final years, she remained committed to assisting her friends in the arts. She also continued putting her support behind emerging artists, connecting them to her high-profile contacts in the Miami art world and distributing their work to her circles.

Marta always believed that art was an excellent vehicle to create community. She saw art as a truly enriching experience that nourishes both intellect and emotion, something that should be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of means. To her, art was an elevating and uplifting experience in life that transcends the temporary struggles of the present. As such, Marta used art as a way to bring people together, celebrate culture, stimulate discussion, and make new and lasting connections.

In the end, art was an ethereal experience to Marta, something just beyond the limits of this world and to be felt in the soul. Indeed, the artworks she collected throughout her life were by far her most cherished and precious possessions. Her collection represented a personal series of memories and a connection with each artist. In addition to her legacy as a patron and champion of the arts, she is also remembered for her steadfast support of her family, always listening and making herself available to them and to her friends, as well as for her resilience. This was seen repeatedly throughout her life – raising seven children, enduring the premature loss of family and friends, navigating divorce, fighting in a revolution, holding her own in the volatile art, and braving health struggles. Marta always confronted her challenges with great strength of character and faced life with wit and humor. Marta Permuy remains dearly loved, missed, and remembered by her family, friends, and the arts community.

Selected Statements on Marta Permuy's Legacy:

· "So sorry to hear of Marta Permuy's passing. She bravely fought Castro and was a key figure in Miami Cuban Art. My condolences to the Permuy family." – Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), October 4, 2017.

· "That early art world could not have happened without Marta and Jesús Permuy." – Dr. Lynette Bosch, Cuban art historian, October 8, 2018.

· "Marta was an amazing and very intelligent, knowledgeable person. She rarely took commissions and always helped others however she could. Marta was a saint." – Marcos Pinedo, art collector, patron and dealer, May 3, 2020.

Marta's visitation was held on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at Caballero Rivero Westchester.

Marta's memorial mass was held on Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida. The mass was officiated by Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J., President of Belen Jesuit, and the moving eulogy was delivered by her son, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Pedro Pablo Permuy.