Tiles Add Style to Once-drab Building That Houses Commissary in Downtown Dallas

Roots are critical in shaping an artist's identity, and Jorge Pardo is no exception.Pardo, 54, was born in Cuba, which his family left when he was 6. His dad used to work at the Woolworth's in Old Havana; his mom was a bookkeeper/accountant.The Pardo family left Cuba in 1969, about a decade after Fidel Castro seized power in an armed revolution that overthrew his corrupt predecessor, Fulgencio Batista.Pardo's parents, never among those mourning Batista's exile, were, however, "not political in any way," their son says. "They didn't want to be a part of the [Communist] party. They did not leave with extreme hatred. Dad always wanted to live in America, and Mom said, 'It's going to get worse before it gets better.' "  Continue reading...