Tropical Garden II
Acrylic on Canvas
44h x 34w in
I was born in post-revolutionary Cuba in 1987, and educated in an academic setting heavily governed by the Russian Academy. This frame of reference is evident in all of my work. To deny my experiences, perceptions and the impact of history would be disregarding my own existence. These influences are the lens through which I create and the motivation that propels me.
Cuban history has guided me in a variety of ways. On the one hand, it allows me to rethink the way storytelling is part of our memories. On the other, it allows me to question the accuracy of history and its telling. This conflict absorbed me during my early years and continues to engage me as I complete my artistic education. Currently, this near-obsession with the past translates into figures, scenarios, and most importantly, the recreation of my own stories.
In Cuba, I was exposed to figurative arts by the presence of the Russian Academy. This presence, as well as the censorship of contemporary art and the limited access to information, was the accepted dogma. Consequently, I understood that decontextualizing epochs and artistic symbols was the tool I could use to establish a connection between the present and the past. The resulting work provides an escape from reality and creates an illusory world. I am more fascinated in altering history than depicting it accurately.
Carlos Gamez de Francisco
Born 1987, Holguin, Cuba
Resides Fort Myers, United States
EDUCATION
2016 School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Distinguished Scholarship.
2006 Jose Marti Fine Arts School. Holguin, Cuba
2004 Raul Gomez Garcia Fine Arts School. Holguin, Cuba
Independent study with Cuban artists Miguel Angel Salvo, Cosme Proenza, and Harry Ruiz.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
2021 Six Shades of Sunlight, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
New Work, Portland Art Gallery, Portland, Maine
New Work, CV Art and Frame, Zionsville, IN
2020 Dancing on the Couch, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Keeneland Couture, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
Personality Plus, Kore Gallery, Louisville, KY
2019 New Works, Weinberger Fine Art, Kansas City, MO
“Modern Nobility”, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
“Specimen Lost in a Tropical Island”, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
2018 “An Uncommon Vision: Equines, Archetypes, and Allegories”, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
“The Power of the Powerless”. Moremen Moloney Contemporary, Louisville, KY
2017 New Work. Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Larchmont, NY
“FAQ’s 1789-1987”. Moremen Moloney Contemporary, Louisville, KY
2015 “Troubling Beauty: Myth and Metaphor in Contemporary Costume Drama”. 21c Museum, Bentonville,
AR
2014 “Troubling Beauty: Myth and Metaphor in Contemporary Costume Drama”. 21c Museum, Louisville,
KY
“Size Matters”. The Green Building Gallery, Louisville, KY
“Cactus Petals, Fluctuating Asymmetry, and Crimes of Passion”. Tinney Contemporary, Nashville,
TN
2013 “Pétalos de Cactus, Fluctuaciones Asimétricas, y Crimen Pasional”. Visual Art Association, Holguín,
Cuba
2012 “Radical Genealogy: The Decline of Dauphins, Courtesans and Hounds". Hardcore Art
Contemporary Space, Miami, FL “Trio”. Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
“Black Portraits of Pomegranate Eaters”. Swanson Contemporary, Louisville, KY
2011 “Cuban Now” 21C Museum, Louisville, KY
2010 “The Last Words of Louis XVI” Muhammad Ali Museum, Louisville, KY
2009 “Fungus for Parry-Rombeg”. Les Arts Gallery, Balearic Islands. Spain
2008 “The Last Little Vincent and Jean Puy”. Colonial Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
2006 “The Hole of the Mirror”. Ibero-American House, Holguín, Cuba
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)
2021 SCOPE Art Fair, The CAMP Gallery, Miami, FL
Affordable Art Fair NYC, Artplex Gallery, NY
Figuratively Speaking, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
Supernova, The Grogan Gallery, Houston, TX
Face It, Jack Rabbit Gallery, Houston, TX
Afterimage; Sensations of Colors, Nashville, TN
Bloom, Bev’s Fine Art, Raleigh, NC
2020 Mix it Up! New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
Moscow International Foto Awards Winner’s Exhibition, Moscow, Russia
2019 Dress Up, Speak Up: Regalia and Resistance, 21c Museum, Cincinnati, OH
Mix it Up! New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
“Endless Summer”, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2018 46 International Art Exhibition, Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, Brownsville,
TX
PHOTO’ 18. Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Larchmont, NY
“Keep your Clothes ON”, New Editions Gallery, Lexington, KY
30th Anual Decatur Arts Festival, Decatur Arts Alliance, Decatur, GA
2018 Art at the Center Juried Exhibition, Overland Park, KS
“Merton Among Us”, 849 Gallery, KyCAD, Louisville, KY
2017 45th Mid-States Craft Exhibition, Evansville Museum, Evansville, IN
“Mistrz i morze”, ArtGalle Galeria, Szczecin, Poland
2016 Context Art Miami, Ai Bo Gallery, Miami, FL.
Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center, Miami, FL
“Cuban Fried Chicken”, MAC Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, FL
“Cuban Art: Influence and Articulation”. Moremen Moloney Contemporary, Louisville, KY
“Navigate”, 1619 Flux Art + Activism, Louisville, KY 2015 New Blood Festival, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Art Southhampton, Glenn Aber Contemporary, NY
2014 “Latin Views 2014”. Alexey Von Schlippe Gallery, Groton, Connecticut
“Miami New Media Festival 2014”. The Chill Concept. Miami, FL
Art Hamptons, NY, Glenn Aber Contemporary
Art Palm Beach, FL, Glenn Aber Contemporary
2013 “NSHMBA Louisville Fundraising & Awards Gala”. NSHMBA, Louisville, KY
“Dis-semblance: Projecting and Perceiving Identity”. 21c Museum, Cincinnati, OH
“Acuarelas III”. Lombillo Palace, Havana, Cuba
2012 Scope -Art Basel, Miami, Hardcore Art Contemporary Space.
“Latin Views”. Alexey Von Schlippe Gallery, Groton, Connecticut
2011 “Mada New Media Festival’11”. Hardcore Art Contemporary Space, Miami, FL
“Contemporary Realism”. Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
“Acuerelas II”. Lombillo Palace, Havana, Cuba
2010 “Fronteras Desdibujadas” Periquera Colonial Museum, Holguin, Cuba
"EKLEKTICITY." George Rodez Gallery, Miami, FL
2009 “Drove my wife crazy”. Pyro Gallery, Louisville, KY
2008 “Cuban Artists”. Rome, Italy
”Dachshund, a Legend”. Humboldt professorship, University of Havana. Havana, Cuba
AWARDS
2021 Platinum Winner 2021, Muse Photography Awards, NY
Fischer Award, Louisville Visual Art, Louisville, KY
Honorable Mention, 2020 International Photography Awards, Los Angeles, CA
Honorable Mention, 2020 Prix de la Photographie de Paris, Paris, France
Honorable Mention, Moscow International Photo Awards, Moscow, Russia
Honorable Mention, International Juried Photography Exhibition, Praxis Photo Arts Center, MN
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards, London, Great Britain
2020 Gold Award, 2020 Tokyo International Foto Awards, Tokyo, Japan
Honorable Mention, 2020 International Photography Awards, Los Angeles, CA
Honorable Mention, 2020 Prix de la Photographie de Paris, Paris, France
Fine Art Photographer of the Year, 2020 Moscow International Photo Awards, Moscow, Russia
Gold Award, 2020 Moscow International Photo Awards, Moscow, Russia
Gold Award, 2020 Moscow International Photo Awards, Moscow, Russia
Honorable Mention, International Color Awards, Beverly Hills, CA 2019 Honorable Mention, 2019 Tokio International Photo Awards, Tokio, Japan
Bronze Award, 2019 Moscow International Photo Awards, Moscow, Russia
2018 Honorable Mention, 30th Anual Decatur Arts Festival, Decatur, GA
2017 Museum Guild Purchase Award, Evansville Museum, Evansville, IN
2016 Ox Bow Merit Scholarship, Ox Bow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI
Capital Professional Development Program, 21c Museum, Louisville, KY
2015 SAIC Distinguished Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
SAIC Grants, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Kurtich Travel Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2012 Key to the City of Louisville by Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville, KY
2011 Norman Kohlepp Merit Awards. Louisville Visual Art Association, Louisville, KY
2010 Capital Professional Development Program, 21c Museum, Louisville.
2009 “Dreammakers” Artist in Residence. Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY
2008 City Award. Visual Art Association, Holguín, Cuba
2007 Best Performance. XXI Provincial Visual Art Exhibition, Holguín, Cuba
Best Short Film in the Seventh National Festival of Audiovisual “By First Time”.Cuba
2006 Exhibit of Illustrated Poetry. Holguin Gallery, Holguin, Cuba
COLLECTIONS
Maker’s Mark Distillery, KY
Evansville Museum, Evansville, IN
21C Museum, Louisville, KY
Fashion Resource Center, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cuba Ocho Museum & Performing Art Center, Miami, FL
Polanco’s Collection, Havana, Cuba
Louisville’s Metro Hall, Louisville, KY
Muhammad Ali Museum, Louisville, KY
Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, KY
La Periquera Museum, Holguin, Cuba
Gamez de Francisco ́s works are also in private collections in the United States, Spain, Luxembourg, Ecuador,
Italy, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
PUBLIC PROJECTS
2020 Horse Trilogy commissioned by Breeder’s Cup, Maker’s Mark, and Keeneland, Lexington, KY
