Galeria Nara Roesler is proud to present a solo project by Cuban artist Marco A. Castillo for its online viewing room at Frieze 2020. Castillo is founder of the art collective Los Carpinteros, and his work is permeated by an interest in the history of Cuba and the country’s post-revolutionary, social and cultural changes. Castillo has been extensively investigating architecture, design and sculpture, which are fundamental aspects of his artistic practice in seeking to create installations, drawings and sculptures that engage with space and negotiate between the functional and non-functional, often expressed in a humorous way.
In tandem with a global movement of historical revision, Castillo reflects on Cuba’s modernization in the 1960 and 1970s and refers to influential Cuban artists, architects and designers. The sculptures and works on paper pertaining to his most recent project combine elements of modern design and socialist realism of the Soviet period with traditional Cuban techniques and materials—including mahogany wood and rattan fabric, as well as with graphic designs of the time.
Lately the artist has been focused on reinterpreting the works of key figures from what he calls a ‘forgotten generation’, such as Gonzalo Córdoba, María Victoria Caignet, Rodolfo Fernández Suárez (Fofi), Joaquín Galván and Walter Betancourt. From a political standpoint, Castillo seeks to follow these artists historic trail, while positioning himself as an advocate and herald for Cuban artistic heritage.