Artist Statement

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 (b.1987, Holguin, Cuba) lives and works in Fort Myers, FL, and Louisville, KY. He has received numerous awards including the Fine Art Photographer of the Year at the Moscow International Photo Awards; the Museum Guild Purchase Award at Evansville Museum; the SAIC Distinguished Scholarship at The Art Institute of Chicago; the Key to the City of Louisville by Mayor Greg Fischer; and the “Dreammakers” Artist in Residence at Muhammad Ali Center. BIO

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