marco a. castillo from the circle to the star,

​​Nara Roesler New York is pleased to present From the Circle to the Star, the first solo exhibition in New York by Marco A. Castillo (Havana, Cuba, 1971), marking a significant moment in the artist's career and introducing American audiences to his artistic practice, which reflects on the subtle connections between – and the collective tensions of – their expressions, politics and design, function and form, history, art, and decoration.

Castillo carries out extensive research in the fields of architecture, design, and sculpture—fundamental aspects of his artistic practice—which is characterized by installations, drawings, and sculptures that engage with space and negotiate, with notable humor, the functional and the non-functional. In his works, Castillo reflects on Cuba’s modernization process during the 1960s and 1970s, referencing influential Cuban artists, architects, and designers. His most recent sculptures and works on paper combine elements of the country’s modernist design and Soviet-era socialist realism with traditional Cuban techniques and materials, including mahogany and woven straw lattice, as well as the graphic design from that same period. Through his production, the artist revisits the work of key figures from a “forgotten generation” of Cuban architects and designers, such as Gonzalo Córdoba, María Victoria Caignet, Rodolfo Fernández Suárez (Fofi), Joaquín Galván, and Walter Betancourt. Taking a critical stance, Castillo seeks to follow the path paved by these historical artists while positioning himself as a defender and promoter of Cuba’s artistic heritage.

The title of the exhibition, From the Circle to the Star, borrows its name from a series of works in wood and rattan that depict the transition—or evolution—between two simple, distinct forms: the circle and the star. It also evokes a sense of continuity between them. This progression of two basic geometric shapes reflects the political dualism of which Marco Castillo—and generations of Cuban artists and intellectuals—will always be a part, inspired by his recent exhibitions, such as the show at the Cranbrook Art Museum, where Castillo explored the intersection of modernist design and social history.

From the Circle to the Star invites viewers to reflect on how simple geometric shapes can carry complex historical and symbolic meanings, and how those meanings are reinterpreted and appropriated across different cultural contexts. The exhibition also highlights Castillo’s ability to create a dialogue between the functional and the aesthetic, challenging traditional conventions of art and design. It also evokes a sense of continuity between forms. This progression of two basic geometric shapes represents the political dualism that Marco Castillo—and generations of Cuban artists and intellectuals—are inevitably a part of., Inspired by his own exhibitions, including most recently  at the Cranbrook Art Museum, Castillo explores the intersection between modernist design and social history, challenging traditional conventions of art and design.