Birthplace draws on artist's legacy to attract visitors

SAGUA LA GRANDE, Cuba - At a midday, sunshine falls vertically on a dusty street in the Cuban town of Sagua La Grande, the birthplace of the late Wifredo Lam, the son of a Chinese-Cuban couple and one of Cuba's most revered artists.

Lam was born in 1902 in a humble wood-and-tile house at No 334 Carmen Ribalta Street, just a few blocks from the central square. A small sign reminds visitors that Lam's childhood home, with its red door, windows and bars, has been declared a national monument.

The sleepy town in central Villa Clara province, about 360 kilometers east of Havana, is betting Lam's legacy can attract tourists and become a source of livelihood for its 54,000 residents.