bio
Darwin Estacio Martinez was born in 1982, in Manzanillo, Cuba; he is a graduate from the Professional Academy of Fine Arts "El Alba" in Holguin city, and also is a graduate from the Higher Institute of Arts in Havana. He is professor at the National Fine Arts Academy (San Alejandro).
He has had an extensive artistic career having participated exhibitions across Cuba and other countries around the world. Images of his works have been included in several publications and many of his artworks belong to private collections in and outside of the Island.
artist statement
My paintings and videos are intended to embody general ideas through fragments and details that allude to a chain of actions that are maintained only in a speculative and interpretive level. For me, nothing happens except what an observer is able to infer. The use of the human figure removed from any individual reference helps me focus on personality archetypes. I use each figure as a kind human being type. I want to achieve in the medium of cinema the effect I achieve in my painting and paradoxically to create within my paintings that which I have captured in film.
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Education
2011- Postgraduate in "Microsociology" at University of Arts (ISA). Havana /Studies in "Symbolic Production" at University of Arts (ISA). Havana.
2007- Graduate from University of Arts (ISA). Havana.
2001- Graduate from The Professional Arts Academy ̈El Alba ̈, Holguín City.
Teaching
2007- Professor at the National Fine Arts Academy, San Alejandro, Havana 2014- 2017
Professor at the University of Arts (ISA) Methodology of the Investigation in the Artistic Process Lectures
2019- Action and Reflection: Dialogues in Practices in Fine Arts Education, University of Arts (ISA), Events on Theory, 13th Habana, Havana, Cuba
2018- Inventory. (Alibi) Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana
Archives and individual imagery. Hitting the target, III Symposiums on Art theory and critical analysis.
2012- A warm investigation. University of Arts (ISA) during Havana 11th Biennale
2009- Theoretical workshop at University of Arts (ISA) during Havana 10th Biennale
Inventory. Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana
Solo Shows
2018- Alibi. Cultural Art Center, Holguín, Cuba. Biennale de la Habana
Inventory. (Alibi) Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana
2017- Shortcuts. Fucina Des Artistas, Havana
2015- Paintings of their Kind. Lois Lambert Gallery, Santa Monica,
2009- Inventory. Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana
2007- Nothing less than Painting. Carmelo González Gallery at House of
Culture in Plaza municipality, Havana. 2001- Liberations. Art Center, Holguín City.
Selected Group Shows
2023-Summertime, International Gallery of Contemporary Art, Anchorage Alaska
Time Stands Still, Galeria Cubana, Provincetown, MA
Tout le Poids d’unm île. Collectionner l’art Cubain. Museé des Beaux-arts de Rennes, Rennes, France
Credible Thread, Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA
2022-A priori, Galeria La Acacia, Havana , Cuba
Celebrating Contemporary Latinx Artists, Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA
Athens Open Art, Art Number 23, Athens, Greece
Camino Sinuoso (Winding path), Galeria Cubana, Provincetown, MA
2021- Of Another Era, Galleria Cubana, Provincetown, MA
2020- Circle, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA Museum) South Korea.
Video Art Today, Shoebox Projects, Los Angeles, California
Color, Line & Figure II, Galería Cubana, Boston, Provincetown
2019- Color, Line and Figure, Galeria Cubana, Provincetown, Massachusetts
The Cloud, San Alejandro National Fine Arts School, 13th Biennale de Havana, Havana, Cuba
Salty Water, The Sanctuary, 13th Biennale de Havana, Havana, Cuba 2018- The Pearly Gates Collection, Yucca Valley Art ́s Center, California, USA
Smell of rain, Center of Development or Visual Arts (CDAV). Havana
Contemporary Art Peru, (PArC.2018) Art Fair. Peru
2017- I come from everywhere and everywhere I go, (Standard Time LA) at Lois Lambert Gallery, Santa Monica, USA
Si Cuba! Avery Galleries, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
Topus Uranus, Altamira Space, Havana. 2016- Present! GX Gallery. London
The old guard. International Festival of Arts, “Romerías de Mayo”. Holguin City. Cuba 2015- Present continuous. Servando Gallery. Havana
Fresh painting II. Havana Gallery, Havana.
The silence before the storm II. (Zona Franca Project) Morro Cabaña, during
Havana 12th Biennale.
ZIP, Artist 718 Gallery. Havana.
To border the myth. Ruben Martínez Villena Gallery, (UNEAC) during 24th International Books Fairs, Havana.
2014- The silence before the storm. Benito Juárez Museum. Havana. Salty Water. Hispano-American Art Center, Havana.
2013- Post- it. 1st Edition. at Galiano Gallery. Havana
Habited Zone, Open House in street 24 / 23 and 25. Vedado. Havana
The young ones. Galería Cubana, Boston & Provincetown. Massachusetts, USA Open. Luz y Oficios Art Center, Havana.
Publications
2020- Bluebee Magazine. Issue No 3 Spring
2019- Cutting Edge Art: 100 Cuban Artists
2015- Zona Franca, Contemporary Cuban Art, 12th Havana Biennale. Cuban Art Editions. Catalogue
ArtScene, Vol.34, No.9, May, page 11 (by: Kathy Zimmerer) (The Monthly Digest to Art in Southern California) 2014- New vigor in the young Cuban Painting. News of Cuban Art, No.12, (by Shirley Moreira)
The silence before the storm. Catalogue
Art Oncuba. The Cuban Arts Magazine. March–May. Post–it. Collage Editions. Catalogue
2013- Abstract Painting in Cuba, Boloña Editions 2012- CdeCuba. Cuban Art Magazine. No.10. Spain. CdeCuba. Cuban Art Magazine. No.11. Spain.
Elastik. News of Cuban Art, No. 2, (by Frency Fernández)
2011- Junge Szene Kuba. Pasinger Fabrik. Munich. Germany, Catalogue. 2010- The bullet extreme. (A decade of Cuban Art). Catalogue.