FARSIDE GALLERY PRESENTS

Unwelcome

Exhibition of Works by Artist César Beltrán
On View October 15 -November 20, 2012
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 20, 2012

César Beltrán was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1960 and attended the Academia San Alejandro and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) where he majored in painting and graduated in 1978 and 1983, respectively. He left Cuba for Mexico in 1992. He has lived and worked in Miami since 1994 and has been an integral part of the Miami art scene during the last two decades.

Unwelcome, a solo exhibition by César Beltrán, is curated by artist Alonso Mateo. This show consists of three large format acrylic paintings on canvas and approximately fifty ink drawings on paper. It focuses on works created by Beltrán during these past three years.

Throughout this time, Cuban born painter and graphic designer Beltrán has developed an extensive body of work. His oeuvre is critical and cynical in its analysis, rendering an ironic sense of humor through ambiguous and oftentimes hybrid forms. He denounces oppressive regimes and institutions of power. Through the mocking and alteration of Cuban totalitarian organizations logotypes, Beltrán speculates about a hypothetical future country, all corrupted and gang ruled, where symbols have become confused and ideological icons serve new meanings and adhesions. The use of prison and gang-like graphic codes and elements, such as pseudo-gothic typography and kitsch visual paraphernalia aims to convey that degradation which haunts future Cuban society.

The writer Zoe Valdés has said of this artist’s work: «If I had to describe César Beltrán style in literary terms, I would say it possesses Margherite Durás’ concise foundation and the foreigner’s feverish destiny of Albert Camus. With these two strands the artist effectively interlaces a boxing glove with pop art and hyperrealism. The fight will be precise, hard and long-lasting, as every fight worth fighting should be.»

César Beltrán has also participated in numerous solo and collective exhibitionsin the United States and abroad. These have included Ways of Worldmaking: A Passion for Collecting, Miami Dade College – Freedom Tower, Miami, FL; Cuba Untitled II, Heidi Cho Gallery, New York, NY; Portraits in Cuban Painting, Maxoly Gallery, Miami, FL; Four Painters, International Center, Ensenada Baja California, Mexico; Pintura Contemporánea Cubana (PCC), SECOFI, Mexico City, Mexico; Suave y Fresca, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba; ISA Ten Years Exhibition, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba and Salón 13 de marzo, Galería L, Havana Cuba. Beltrán’s work is included in several private and public collections.

The opening night reception for Unwelcome is Saturday, October 20, 2012 7 – 9 pm and is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view from October 15 through November 20, 2012 weekdays from 11 am to 5 pm, by appointment.

Free parking is available across the street at the Central Bible Assembly of God on opening night.

Venue: Farside Gallery On view: October 15 through November 20, 2012
Event name: Unwelcome
Event contact: Raissa Soler
Event time: weekdays 11
am to 5 pm, by appointment
Event email: farsidegallery@bellsouth.net
Venue address: 1305 SW 87th Avenue, Miami, FL 33174
Event phone: 305-264-3355 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            305-264-3355      end_of_the_skype_highlighting