Once in a while, a determined gallery with a mission overcomes incredible odds to put on an exhibition. Such a gallery is Bethesda's Fraser Gallery.

Husband-and-wife owners Catriona Fraser and F. Lennox Campello cut through the red tape and censorship of Fidel Castro's government to put on the first show of contemporary Cuban artists in the Washington area. De Aqui y Alla (or "From Here and From There") presents 15 artists from the Cuban diaspora, including Sandra Ramos and Deborah Nofret Marrero.

Miss Ramos, whose work is in the collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art, touches on many taboo subjects of Cuban society: the loss of childhood, separation of families, loss of love.

Miss Marrero, a leading digital artist in Cuba, provides the zing of digital images to the show.

At the Fraser, 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E, Bethesda. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, through Oct. 8. Free. 301/718-9651.

Joanna Shaw-Eagle

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