He was born in Matanzas in September 20th, 1972. He studied first in the Vocational School of Arts in Matanzas, and continued in the National School of Plastic arts, where hemajored in 1991 as Sculptor, Designer and Ceramist. He started workingas a ceramist in the Ceramic Workshop inVaradero in 1992. He became member of the UNEAC in 2002. He is the President of CODEMA since 2008.
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
2009 ” Looking for my Cubanía ” Enrique Pérez Triana Gallery. Pedro Betancourt. Matanzas. Cuba
2005 ” Travel to the Seed.” Art Museum, Matanzas, Cuba.
2000 Exhibition “Two in one” Ceramics Museum. Castle of the Royal Force. Old Havana. Cuba
1991 “The industrial Object as a Work of Art.” Grade Thesis. Pedro Esquerré. Matanzas. Cuba.
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS.
2012 Exhibition ‘WORMS ” 11th Biennial of Havana. Havana. Cuba
2011 Roberto Diago Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba
2010 “Amelia Peláez”Ceramics biennial. White Salon. San Francisco de Asis Convent. Havana.Cuba
2010 ” To Dream the Sculpture ” Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba
2009 Exhibition ‘” Beyond the Embargo” Cuban and American Ceramics. Fuller. Boston Museum. USA
2009 “Open Gallery”Project. Matanzas University. Cuba
2008 Exhibition “Art of the fire”. ACAA Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba
2008 “Amelia Peláez” Ceramics biennial. White Salon. San Francisco de Asis Convent. Havana. Cuba
2008 I International Biennial of Contemporary Art Chapingo2008. “Art with roots in the earth.” Chapingo Autonomous University. Texcoco. Mexico
2008 National Event “Arte del Fuego” (Arte of the Fire). Ceramics Workshop in Varadero and Correa Family´s Workshop-house. Jovellanos. Matanzas. Cuba
2007 Exhibition 15th Anniversary of the Ceramics Workshop in Varadero. Polyvalent Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery.
2006 ” Winter Salon”. UNEAC Gallery. Matanzas, Cuba.
2006 IV National Encounter of Artistic Ceramics CERVAR. Artistic Ceramics Workshop in Varadero, Cuba.
2006 VI Provincial Salon of Artistic Ceramics “Virgin Earth.” Uver Solís Gallery, Jovellanos, Matanzas. Cuba.
2006 “Art of the Fire” Project. Artistic Ceramics Workshop-Gallery in Varadero, Cuba
2006 VIII Biennial of Ceramics Amelia Peláez. White Salon at the San Francisco Of Asis Convent. Old Havana Cuba.
2006 Collective Exhibition CERVAR. Art Sun and Sea Gallery. Varadero, Cuba.
2006 XV Artistic Ceramics Salon. Provincial Gallery of Cienfuegos. Cuba.
2005 Provincial Salon of the CDR. ACAA, Matanzas, Cuba.
2005 ” Art, Forms and Fire II.” Art Sun and Sea Gallery,Varadero, Cuba
2004 ” Conceptualmap” Collective Expo. UNEACGallery. Matanzas. Cuba
2004 Collective Exhibition “Encounter”, Melia Hotel, Varadero. Cuba.
2004 Collective Exhibition “UNEAC Salon”, Matanzas. Cuba.
2004 XIII “Roberto Diago” Salon, Pedro Esquerré Gallery, Matanzas. Cuba.
2004 VII Biennial of Ceramics Amelia Peláez. White Salon at the San Francisco Of Asis Convent. Old Havana Cuba.
2003 “Mirrors.” Pedro Esquerré Gallery, Matanzas. Cuba.
2003 Exhibition of Erotic Art “On the Edge.” O’ FarrillPalace Hotel. Old Havana. Cuba.
2001 VI Biennial “Amelia Peláez.” Museum of the Ceramics. Castle of the Royal Force, Old Havana. Cuba.
2001 Exhibition at the Artistic Ceramics Workshop of Varadero. Museum of the Ceramics at the Castle of the Royal Force, Old Havana. Cuba.
2001 IV National Contest PMA in action. Center for the Development of the Visual Arts. Old Habana. Cuba.
2001 FIART. Pabexpo. HavanaCity. Cuba
2000 Collective Expo Headquarters of the VII Biennial. Pedro Esquerré Gallery, Matanzas. Cuba.
2000 “A Century of Doves.” Mirtha García Busch Workshop-Gallery. HavanaCity. Cuba
2000 VII Biennial of Havana. Museum of the Ceramics. Castle of the Royal Force, Old Havana. Cuba
1999 “Plate of the year 2000.” Melia Hotel Gallery. Varadero. Matanzas. Cuba.
1999 III National Salon of Plastic Arts. International Hotel, Varadero, Matanzas. Cuba.
1999 “The Young Sculpture in Matanzas.” Museum of the Arts, Matanzas. Cuba.
1999 VIII Roberto Diago Querol Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery, Matanzas. Cuba.
1999 “Variations on the natural”, Museum of the Ceramics. Castle of the Royal Force. Old Havana. Cuba.
1999 “My Head and Me”, Museum of the Arts. Matanzas. Cuba.
1999 Art, Forms and Fire.” Mirtha García Busch Workshop-Gallery. Havana City. Cuba.
1998 “Varadero Ceramics.” Trinidad Tobago.
1998 V Biennial Amelia Peláez. Museum of the Ceramics. Castle of the Royal Force. Old Havana. Cuba.
1998 II National Salon of Plastic Arts. International Hotel, Varadero, Matanzas. Cuba.
1998 “CERVAR 98” La Casona. Havana City. Cuba.
1998 VII Roberto Diago Querol Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas.
1997 “Caribbean” Caribbean Hotel, Panama City.
1997 “Caribbean” Hershingel Gallery. PanamaCity.
1997 “Caribbean” Institute of Culture. PanamaCity.
1997 “Caribbean” ConcordSquare. PanamaCity.
1997 “Project and Reality.” Carmen Mantilla Museum. Old Havana. Cuba.
1997 IV Roberto Diago Querol Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba.
1997 FIART “Roots and Validities of the Handicraft.” Pabexpo, Havana City. Cuba.
1996 ReflectionsSI-DA (AIDS). Benito Juárez Museum, Old Havana. Cuba.
1996 “TheVase” Museum of the Ceramics, Castle of the Royal Force, Old Havana. Cuba.
1996 CERVAR. Melia Hotel Gallery, Varadero. Cuba.
1996 V Roberto Diago Querol Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery, Matanzas. Cuba.
1995 Expo “Cuban Ceramics” G. Du Moulin des Fontaine. Saint Denis Hotel France.
1995 Expo “Forms and Fire.” Art, Sun and SeaGallery. Varadero, Matanzas. Cuba
1995 FIART “Roots and Validity of the Ibero-American Crafts”
1995 Pabexpo. HavanaCity. Cuba.
1994 I International Encounter of Ceramic of small format. Shop of Ceramic Artistic Shipyard, Matanzas. Cuba.
1994 Collective Expo Art, Sun and SeaGallery, Varadero. Matanzas. Cuba.
1994 Expo conmemorating the300thAniversary of Matanzas City. Pedro Esquerré´Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba.
1993 FIART Pabexpo. Havana City. Cuba.
1992 IV Roberto DiagoQuerolSalon. Pedro EsquerréGallery. Matanzas. Cuba.
1990 “Art, a Soul of the Revolution” Salon.Pedro EsquerréGallery. Matanzas. Cuba.
1989 Head Expo at the III Biennial of Havana. ENAGallery. HavanaCity. Cuba.
1988 “Art, a Soul of the Revolution” Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba.
MAIN PRIZES
2011 Bellamar Prize, UNEAC Prize, ARTEX Prize, ACAA Prize and FCBCPrize. Roberto Diago Salon. Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas. Cuba
2006 “Winter Salon” Prize. UNEAC. Matanzas
2006 IV National Encounter of Artistic Ceramics. CERVAR.
ACAA, Casa de las Americas( House of the Americas) and EGREMPrizes.
2006 Second Place at the VIII Biennial of Ceramics Amelia Peláez.
2005 First Prize at the Provincial Salon for the 45th Anniversary of the CDR. ACAA. Matanzas. Cuba
2004 XIII Roberto Diago Querol Salon. UNEAC Prize. ACAA Mention. FCBC Mention.
1999 VIII Roberto Diago Querol Salon, Mention and Prize of the FCBC.
III National Salon of Plastic Arts. Mention.
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS.
Permanent Collection. Museum of the Ceramics. Havana.Cuba
Private Collection. Pedro Pablo Olive Museum. Pinar del Rio. Cuba
Permanent Collection. Art from Matanzas Salon. Art Museum. Matanzas. Cuba
PLACED WORKS
Ceramic mural. Open Gallery.2009. Camilo Cienfuegos University. Matanzas.Cuba
Ceramic mural. Faustino PérezHospital.1995.Matanzas.Cuba
Ceramic mural. Varieties Store.2010.Matanzas.Cuba
Advertising poster.1996. “Varadero Bazaar”.Publicigraf. Varadero. Cuba
Ceramic mural and poster.1996.” La Vicaria ”Restaurant. Varadero. Cuba
Ceramic mural.1995.ARTEX. Varadero.Cuba
Critical analysis of his ouevre.
Edel Arencibia belongs to a generation that it has contributed important features in the Cuban artist production, it means in the fields´ artists poetics in the developing of two particularly areas of background of the contemporary suggestions: the society and the human beings. A spite of usually this phenomenon it recognizes in the painting, installation and photography, the creator has made oneself since the sculpture and the ceramic technique specially. With this location, it is specific to an exclusive phenomenon of the Cuban art´ history of the 90´years: the inclusion and the valuation of the ceramic like artistic patron.
Edel Arencibia´ works is impatient and it possesses multiple edges. His work expands more to and the ceramic and sculptural purpose, that techniques that he domains in totally liberty. Of them, the ceramic predominate like way, it developing the say way to make in the employ the metal and resin in the same whole creative idea. In fact, the dominant employ of the ceramic, ductile, makes him take advantage of an entire horizon of possibilities in whole a wide range, when the majolica contributes privilege with these that the artist achieves to contravene the formal conventions.
This transgression is essential to understand the formal and techniques features of their works: Reflejo de impaciencia, Choque de trenes, Mentiras y sueños reprimidos, Cada vez me parezco más…, because terracotta technique, the wax and the use the majolica allows him to make of works that with intention, refers the domain the academic sculptural knowledge with strong classic referral. This knowledge allows him to make oneself speeches, because the portrait is together the other historian features that locate the same speech in the same line time.
In fact in Reflejo de impaciencia is a sculptural work feeling like a object, because he uses the mechanism of the mirror of two faces to refer the idea of the reflection from the psychological and expressive instance, settling down coherent patron with the surrealism and expressionism styles and oneself speech and with them the screaming social. This particular element in his work is important where the open conversation, isn’t a simple characteristic unidirectional but rather it is he impulsive the multiple psychological perspective.
He studies the idea of complex reality and de different levels, of the many instances that the social behavior and developing in the current world, taking like center the crisis of social subject and the personality.
This is the medullar nucleus of the wide landscape of their artistic proposals that they are also allowed to be in conceptual vocations and sorrels in the other supports that they also concern him and they insist on participating of their will of referring events and daily visions, because their plates and entirely ceramic vessels, extend and they are not able to be single use objects. Conscious and compulsively they contribute, they say; they summon continuous and hard dialogues with a reality that remains in their work continually questioned.
Helga Montalván
