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Last Friday a duo of artists, Cuban and Belizean came together to celebrate 25 years of relations between the two countries. And what they brought the Belizean audience was a series of symbols that transcend the visual and delve into the psychological. We spoke to the Cuban, Illustrator Alejandro "Falco" Chan, and he told us that images can often convey as much meaning as words.

Reporter:
"Many of the pieces have a double meaning, right?"

Alejandro Chan, Illustrator
"My drawings usually do not include text which could explain them. I use a system of codes and symbols which explain them through their historical meaning. This way, I create a synthesis and achieve a work which contains less information but offers a lecture far more than just words."

But how did the duo achieve the synthesis that allowed for the exhibition's natural flow? Well the Belizean, Carlos Quiroz says that minimalism guided the messages down to the essential.

Carlos Quiroz, Artist
"It was interesting because, for me, I like working with Falco because a lot of the stuff that he does and the style is something I don't see a lot around here in Belize. And so working with him was being exposed to something new."

"The stuff that we do is very minimalist so what you try to do is you try to capture symbols in our everyday activities and like in my case I like to comment on politics so I try to use symbols that we're used to and sort of programmed to, as you see it you know something comes to mind it triggers an idea. And so what we try to do is we try to capture these symbols an use them in a way to probe people to think, whether you want them to think critically or sometimes your just trying to find humour in some very serious matters, so yes it's using a lot of symbols."

Of course, common ground can always be found through geographical linkages but in the relationship between Cuba and Belize, the artists also found a bond in the struggles that the two nations have endured.

Alejandro Chan, Illustrator
"In my point of view these two countries have a lot in common. Both are Caribbean countries with a similar history. Our people always tried to progress even though we are facing a lot of social or geographical difficulties. Therefore, the union between our countries is so important."

Carlos Quiroz, Artist
"Some of the statements well one of them is a poster that we created in solidarity with Cuba, in particular, to try and gain support on Black Cuba, you know the United States has a serious blockade over the people of Cuba simply because they don't agree with them over economics and political policies and I feel that, that is very unnecessary, and trying to starve a people into submission is an injustice so that one I think for this exhibit would be one of the highlights for me you know expressing our solidarity with the people of Cuba by saying the United States what your doing is unjust and you should stop."

And on opening night their excitement the throng of art lovers made palpable. We asked the artists how the reception has been.

Carlos Quiroz
"You feel, You like it , no, because a lot of times for me the main thing here is the idea none of it is realism, none of it is to try and paint the perfect portrait or the perfect landscape for me it's to try and communicate messages so the fact that people are very receptive to it and their into it means a lot to me because for me a lot of time isn't actually spent practising drawing but actually reading a lot, researching keeping up with the news and constantly keeping updated on world politics local politics and stuff like that. I never stop investing time in it. It's a lifestyle and so to see people very appreciative of it and receptive it means a lot because a lot of my time and thought goes into these, yes it's one little icon but to reach to that point it's a long process."