Carlos Quintana – CONTEMPLATION –
Carlos Quintana: Contemplation as a synthesis of Santería and Buddhism
Carlos Quintana is one of the most internationally renowned Cuban contemporary artists. His work is influenced by many cultural influences, both of his home country and from his living and traveling abroad
Carlos Quintana: Contemplation as a synthesis of Santería and Buddhism
The figures and portraits of Quintana have in common a self-contained attitude: the distance, emotionless facial expressions and the barely comprehensible gaze, which characterize the figures of Carlos Quintana, testify to a kind of introversion or rather to contemplation. They are focused on something that seems to be outside of the visible or internally. The figures are often depicted against a contrasting colored background and without a concrete environment: whatever is not relevant for the “contemplation” (the title of the exhibition) is consequently left out by the artist. Much of these artworks remain implicitly, “unfinished” and thus develop a peculiar force, as it stimulates thought and imagination – thus animating the audience to continue the process of contemplation initiated by the artist into and for himself.
About the Artist
Carlos Quintana was born in 1966 in Havana. As a young painter and autodidact, he came into contact with contemporary Cuban artists and from then on took part in exhibitions. In 1993 he emigrated to Spain and stayed abroad for more than 10 years. He traveled widely and exhibited in Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States, among others. During his travels and exhibitions, he consolidated his work, which became increasingly independent and finally earned him international recognition. Since 2006 he lives in Cuba again, but he travels all over the world. Meanwhile, he has become one of the internationally most recognized Cuban contemporary artists.
