THE ARTIST

Gonzalo Borges, a prominent Cuban painter and drawer, was born in La Habana Cuba in 1936.  Since his early years his talent was evident for drawing, devoting particular attention to mythological African classic tales of the Yoruba religion.  At the age of twelve years Borges began his first painting production in which he undertook those matters related to Cuban folklore.

When he was only 15 years old in 1951, Borges joined the prestigious National Plastic Arts School of San Alejandro as a formal student in La Habana, Cuba, obtaining a scholarship to begin studies by opposition, duly reported in the Diario de la Marina, where the most important social and cultural news were published at the time.

During six years of intense and advanced academic studies in San Alejandro, he received lessons and the personal instructions of consecrated Cuban painting professors such as René Portocarrero and Amelia Peláez, both painters and also from sculptor Florencio Gelabelt, among other outstanding professors of Cuban Plastic.

Gonzalo Borges participated in 1954, being yet a painting student, in his first collective exposition which was held at the Exposition Hall of the National Plastic Arts School of San Alejandro, winning the first prize in a painting contest among a group of young Cuban artists.

Due to his personal efforts toward learning, he spent years in mural painting with the famous Spanish fresh painting (Al Fresco) professor Vicente Klemade, becoming his assistant and direct pupil, participating with him in the production of several wall paintings where are evoked different Bible’s themes that are still kept in cathedrals and churches of Old Habana, being found in temples as Caridad del Cobre, Monserrat, La Merced, San Juan Bosco, The Sacred Heart and others.

Gonzalo Borges migrated to the United States in 1991, residing in New York City, where his works reached a remarkable presence, exhibiting individual and collective expositions in YMCA’s exposition Halls of New York in 1993, Carib Art Gallery in Soho, New York where he exhibited his pieces together with Dominican Painter Jose Perdomo, and likewise during that year he exhibits his works in the Arts Hall of the State University of New York, in Stony Brook; Exposition Hall of Tweed Court House, New York, in 1994; Ward-Nasse Gallery, Soho, New York, in 1996; Long Island Museum, New York, 1996 International Home Gallery, New York 1994 S.O.L.O. International.  In 2002 Urban Art Gallery, Hollywood Florida. In 2004.  Art Fusion Galleries 2006, in the Design district, Miami Florida.

After spending several years with his workshop in New York City, where he was awarded by Governor George Pataki, who delivered a speech, recognizing the quality of his works in 1995 as part of a program of cultural and artistic activities held during the Hispanic Heritage month. 

Borges relocated to Miami in the year 1999 where he established his new workshop.  He presented several expositions, especially those exhibited in Barcelo Fine Art, Coral Gables, Miami in 1999; Inner Tropical Gallery, Coral Gables, Miami 1999; Arches Gallery Calle 8 Miami in 2006; and Art Fusion Gallery, Design District Miami 2007.  Also exhibited in the famous Museo de las Casas Reales in the Colonial zone of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2004.  And a televised interview in Olé TV Miami, 2008.  Televised interview by Palpitar Urbano 2009.  Obini Gallery Calle 8 Miami 2011.  Centro Dominico Aleman, Colonial Zone anto Domingo, 2013. 

Borges’ paintings are a normative apportion inside the so called ethnic art, assuming deconstruction of cryptogram and symbols coming from the ancient culture, trying to impose a true Caribbean Speech, according to updated and bold speeches of our time above all concerning its formal structure and mastery in the desing, balance and visual composition. 

 Borges’ artworks are part of important public and private colections in the United State, and abroad.

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Gonzalo Borges, prominente pintor y dibujante Cubano, nació en la Habana, Cuba en el 1936.  Desde muy temprana edad mostro talento para el dibujo, dedicando particular atención a las escenas de cuentos clásicos mitológicos Africanos de la religión Yoruba.  Desde la edad de 12 años inicio su primera producción de pinturas en la que abordaba temas relacionados con el folklore Cubano.

Cuando apenas tenia 15 años en 1951, ingreso como alumno formal en la prestigiosa Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas de San Alejandro de la Habana Cuba, al obtener una beca de estudios por oposición, debidamente reportado en el Diario de la Marina, donde para entonces se publicaban las mas importantes noticias sociales y culturales.

Durante sus seis años de intensos y avanzados estudios académicos en San Alejandro, recibió la cátedra y la instrucción personal de los consagrados maestros Cubanos René Portocarrero y Amelia Peláez, pintores, y del escultor Florencio Gelabel, entre otros destacados maestros de la plástica Cubana.

Gonzalo Borges participa en 1954, siendo estudiante aun, en su primera exposición colectiva en el salón de exposiciones de la Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas de San Alejandro, donde obtiene el Primer Premio de Pintura de un concurso entre los jóvenes artistas expositores.  Debido a su personal motivación por el aprendizaje, dedico años de estudios de pintura mural con el famoso maestro Español de pintura al fresco Vicente Clemades, convirtiéndose en su ayudante y alumno directo, participando junto a el en la producción de varios murales que evocan distintos pasajes Bíblicos, los que aun se conservan en catedrales e iglesias de la vieja habana entre otros., la iglesia de la Caridad del Cobre, de Monserrat, de la Merced, de San Juan Bosco y la del Sagrado Corazón y otros.

El Artista emigro hacia Estados Unidos en 1991, estableciéndose en New York, donde su obra alcanzo una notable presencia con exposiciones individuales y colectivas en la sala de exposición del YMCA de New York en 1993.,  Carib Art Gallery, donde expuso conjuntamente con el pintor Dominicano Jose Perdomo, y durante ese mismo año expone en la sala de arte de la State University of New York en Stony Brook, Salas de exposiciones de Tweed Court House, New York en 1994, International Home Gallery New York 1994, S.O.L.O. International Gallery 1994 Ward Nassee Gallery Soho, New York 1997, Dorian Fine Art, Brooklyn New York 1997, Ward Nasse Gallery Soho, New York 1996., Long Island Museum New York 1996, International Home Gallery New York 1994.

En 1995 participo en el programa de actividades artísticas y culturales del mes de la Herencia Hispana, su poster fue premiado en dicho evento por el entonces Governador George Pataki.

Luego instalo su taller en la ciudad de Miami donde presento numerosas exposiciones.  Destacándose las exhibidas en Barcelo Fine Arts, Coral Gables en 1999. Inner Tropical Gallery, Coral Gables, 2000.  Arches Gallery Calle 8 Miami, 2006.  Art Fusion Gallery, 2006. Museo de las Casas Reales, zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, R.D. 2004.  Entrevista televisada en Ole TV Miami, 2008.  Entrevista televisada Palpitar Urbano 2009.  En Santo Domingo, RD, exhibio en el Centro Dominico Aleman, 2013.

Sus obras forman parte de importantes colecciones públicas y privadas de Estados Unidos, Rusia, Bulgaria, España, Francia, Checoeslovaquia, República Dominicana y Puerto Rico. La Desconstrucción de signos y símbolos con los discursos más actuales, concierne a su estructura formal y maestría en el balance de su diseño y composición visual.