Artists

Cuban artist Carlos Garaicoa was born in Havana in 1967. He initially trained in thermodynamics, before studying art at the Instituto Superior de Arte between 1989 and 1994. Garaicoa’s work spans drawing, photography, performance, and mixed-media installations, reflecting a dialogue between utopian ideals and the realities of post-revolutionary Havana. His installations, such as Japanese Garden (2001), juxtapose serene aesthetics with stark images of urban decay, challenging perceptions of space and culture through his art.

Garaicoa has exhibited globally, including at the Johannesburg Biennale in 1995, Documenta 11 in 2002, and twice at the Venice Biennale in 2005 and 2009. He has earned accolades like the XXXIX International Contemporary Art Prize in 2005, and his works are in important collections such as the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, Tate Modern in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, amongst others. He currently lives and works between Havana and Madrid, Spain.