BIO & CV

Biography

Rubert Quintana (Holguín, Cuba, 1975) is a Cuban visual artist based in Miami, recognized for his work with strong social, political, and critical content. Trained at the Holguín Academy of Arts and the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana (1997–2005), he developed a visual language that combines painting, installation, digital art, and elements of popular culture to reflect on identity, memory, and social tensions.

During his career in Cuba, his works openly addressed themes such as precariousness, censorship, and the contradictions of the official discourse, which led to progressive institutional isolation and censorship within the artistic circuit. In 2016, this situation culminated in his exile to Miami, marking a turning point in his trajectory.

In South Florida, Quintana has worked as an art handler and restorer for institutions such as The Bass Museum, MOCA North Miami, Coral Gables Museum, and The Frank, collaborating closely on the installation, conservation, and handling of works of significant historical and artistic value. This technical expertise has enriched his vision of the art object, bringing rigor and depth to his own creative practice.

In 2022, he resumed his personal artistic production intensively, integrating traditional and digital techniques to create works that engage with contemporary reality. His work is characterized by sharp humor and a direct visual narrative, where imagination and irony coexist as critical resources.

Quintana conceives art as a form of mass communication capable of raising awareness and provoking social change. Inspired by notable references from Pop Art, conceptual and post-conceptual art associated with propagandistic design and social impact, he embraces strategies such as wearable slogans, murals, and artworks in public and alternative spaces, in order to bypass dependency on institutional programs and the approval of legitimized spaces subject to censorship. He seeks to reach galleries, curators, and collectors who share an interest in socially engaged, aesthetically solid, and culturally impactful art.

His work has been exhibited in biennials, museums, and collective spaces, and continues to expand its reach through digital platforms and international collaborations. With one foot in Cuban artistic tradition and the other in a global context, Rubert Quintana positions himself as a relevant voice in contemporary Latin American art in exile.

Artistic Influences

Although I identify with various artists and movements in some works, my main influences come from pop art, conceptualism, and post-conceptualism. The artists who have had the most significant impact on my work include Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, and Barbara Kruger.

Notable Exhibitions

2010 - Basic Rhetoric (solo exhibition), Cuba.
2007 - Killing Time: An exhibition of Cuban artists from the 1980s to the present, Exit Art, New York, USA.
2007 - CUBA: Artists Experience Their Country, Hunterdon Museum, New Jersey, USA.
- Curated by Kristen Accola

Current Projects

I am currently working on multiple sculptural and mural projects while simultaneously expanding my artistic work into fashion. I am integrating my art into wearable pieces such as t-shirts, hats, and bags, using these items as a medium to spread and popularize my work.

Additionally, I am creating a digital channel on YouTube dedicated to art criticism, documentation, and analysis of artworks. Through this platform, I aim to explain fundamental aspects of the creative process and provide a broader perspective on contemporary art and its impact.

CV

Rubert G. Quintana Blasco

Holguin, Cuba 1975

Visual Artist

Education

2005 MA. Painting, Engraving, Digital Art. Higher Institute of Arts (ISA), Havana. Cuba.

2000 BA. Engraving and Photography, Academy of Fine Art , Holguin. Cuba.

Solo Shows (Selection)

2024 Nothing Personal. ManKind. Coral Gables, March, Miami

2010 Basic Rhetoric. Fausto Cristo Gallery (UNEAC), March, Holguín

2005 Reflections. Higher Institute of Art, December. Havana

2004 Palmas Reales (Royal palms). Gallery Servando Cabrera Moreno, Havana

2001 Donations. Romerías de Mayo, May, Holguín

2000 At noon. Holguín. June, Engraving workshop

Group Shows (Selection)

2016

Autopia: Road Trips from the Cold War to the Present. Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami, FL, USA.

November 28, 2016- january 13, 2017

Curated by Elvis Fuentes and Gabriela M. Fernandez

2009

The City Art Show. January, Art Center, Holguín

2008

CUBA: Artists Experience Their Country. January 13 - March 30, Hunterdon Museum, New Jersey

Curator: Kristen Accola

Small format Show, December, Camagüey

2007

Killing Time: An exhibition of Cuban artists from the 1980s to the present. Exit Art, New York, USA.

May 12 - July 28, 2007
Curators: Elvis Fuentes, Glexis Novoa and Yuneikys Villalonga

The City Art Show. January, Art Center, Holguín

Province Art Show, Art Center, Holguín

2004

Fleorescencia/Fluorescence. School of Arts and Letters. University of Havana, Cuba.

2003

Güines Record. Collective Performance. VIII Havana Biennial of Art. ENEMA Collective, Pabellón Cuba-Güines. Havana, Cuba.

Morcilla. Collective Performance. VIII Havana Biennial of Art. ENEMA Collective, La Cabaña Casttle. Havana, Cuba.

ENEMA Billboard Collective Performance. VIII Havana Biennial of Art. ENEMA Collective, Pabellón Cuba. Havana, Cuba.

Sarayeye. Collective Performance. ENEMA Collective. School of Arts and Letters, Havana, Cuba.

From a Black Hole. Cultural Centre of Spain, Havana, Cuba.

2002

From a Black Hole. Cuba . Son Space, Pals, Spain. De Miguel Gallery, Munich, Germany; Gallery Christian Dam, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Recursos humanos. Collective performance. Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

Marca registrada. Collective performance. Gallery 23 & 12, Havana, Cuba.

Huella Múltiple. Centre for the Development of the Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba.

Dibujo en trece etapas. Huella Múltiple Event. La Casona Gallery. Havana, Cuba.

ENEMA. Multimedia Event, during the week of the Camagueyanian Culture. Camaguey, Cuba.

Presentation of ENEMA No. 4 (magazine). Wifredo Lam Center. Havana, Cuba

2001

Suelo Raso. San Lázaro Church, December 17, Santiago de las Vegas, Havana, Cuba

You see what you feel; we see. Collective performance. CDAV, Havana, Cuba.

Presentation of Notinema II. (Virtual television channel). 3rd Contemporary Cuban Art Salon, Havana, Cuba.

Paladar El arte cubano. Mona Lisa Restaurant, Havana, Cuba

ENEMA. Multimedia event. Second Week of Young Art from Santa Clara. Villa Clara. Cuba.

ENEMA Multimedia event. Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana, Cuba

Mezclilla. Collective performance. Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana, Cuba

Presentation of ENEMA No. 4 (magazine). Ludwig Foundation of Cuba. Havana, Cuba.

Amarrados Collective performance. Romerías de Mayo. Holguín, Cuba.

ENEMA Vs Guests Collective performance. Latin American Stadium. Havana, Cuba.

Dibujo en nueve etapas Collective performance. 1st Visual Arts Biennial from Trinidad. Cuba

Sarayeye Collective performance. Higher Institute of Art. Havana, Cuba.

Breaking the Ice Collective performance. Higher Institute of Art. Havana, Cuba.

2000

Presentation of Notinema I. (Virtual television channel). VII Havana Biennial. ENEMA collective. Havana, Cuba.

Travelling exhibition Collective performance. ENEMA. Opening of the 7th Havana Biennial. Havana, Cuba.

Presentation of ENEMA No. 2 y 3. Multimedia event, at the presentation of ENEMA magazine. Havana, Cuba.

Homage to Lázaro. Collective performance. ENEMA. Mariano No.213 between San Pablo & Auditor, Cerro. Havana, Cuba.

North Coast. Collective Performance. ENEMA. Marianao beaches, Havana, Cuba.

Creative Space Collective Performance. ENEMA. Higher Institute of Art. Havana, Cuba.

Ni a la izquierda ni a la derecha. 1st Week of Young art from Santa Clara. Santa Clara, Cuba.

Presentation of ENEMA No.1 (Art Magazine) Havana, Cuba.

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