Carlos Quintana - Zapata Gallery

Born in Havana in 1966, Carlos Quintana is a graduate of both the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts and the Superior Institute of Industrial Design in his hometown. His divergence from conventional artistic paths and his solo pursuits set him apart as a rebellious and unconventional figure in the underground art circles. His paintings are characterized by enigmatic symbols and narratives, reflecting a deep-seated fascination with depicting the harsh realities and sordid aspects of everyday life. Drawing inspiration from historical art, Quintana infuses his work with a symbolic quality through his use of vibrant hues, creating a tapestry of cultural allusions.

His predominantly self-taught learning resulted in a spontaneous, transgressive, and intuitive painting style characterized by originality and singularity. His unconventional technique showcases a curious and intense language, reflecting a unique creative capacity. Carlos Quintana has taken part in numerous group exhibitions since 1984.

His works have been showcased in countries such as Argentina, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Spain, the United States, Italy, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, and Venezuela. He has made a notable presence at significant events like the Basel Contemporary Art Fair in Switzerland, the Miami Latin American Art Fair, Art Chicago '96, ARCO (International Contemporary Art Fair), the City Salons (Cuba), the Cuban Art Salons (Cuba), and the Havana Biennials. Public and private collections in Cuba, Panama, Mexico, the United States, Italy, France, Monaco, Canada, Venezuela, and Japan hold and exhibit his pieces.

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Lianet Martínez Pino is a visual artist born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. She graduated in 2012 with a specialization in Painting from the National Academy of Fine Arts “San Alejandro” in Havana. In 2019, she completed her studies at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA), where she received the distinction of Most Creative Graduate. Since 2011, she has taken part in numerous exhibitions both in Cuba and abroad. Shortly after graduating, she was invited by Nuno Sacramento Contemporary Art Gallery to the artist residency “Mi casa es tu casa,” which concluded with the two-person exhibition “Alquimia” in Aveiro, Portugal. In 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2022 she was selected to participate in the Havana Biennial, where she presented large-scale public works. Her work is part of important collections in the United States, Puerto Rico, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Cuba.In 2024, her work was selected within the curatorial section “Ejes,” together with Galería Servando, for the ZONAMACO International Art Fair at the Citibanamex Center in Mexico. That same year, she was chosen to represent Cuba at the Artomatic art event in Washington, D.C., USA. In 2025, two of her works were selected to participate in the ZONAMACO International Art Fair as part of the Galería Habana booth. She was invited to take part in the two-person exhibition “Alquimia de una Isla” held at the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (MoCAA) in the United States. In March of the same year, she represented Cuba at the Osaka International Art Fair in Japan. In August, she was selected for the Unlimited Art Residency in New York, supported by the Cuban Artists Fund and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which culminated in the “Blossom” Open Studio. On October 11, she presented her solo exhibition “Espacio Liminal” at Zapata Gallery in Miami, United States. At the end of October, she was invited by the Metropolitan Academy of Art of Chile to give a lecture on her work titled The Body as Shield: Matter, Identity, and Memory. One of her works (Encuentro) is currently on view at FotoFac Gallery as part of the group exhibition “Puertas al Ingenio” at Fábrica de Arte. Also at the end of October, she will be participating with one of her works in the exhibition “Paisaje bajo Sospecha” at Picci Fine Arts Gallery in Mexico City, Mexico.She is currently represented by Génesis Galerías de Arte, working within this group with Galería Habana in Havana, Cuba, and by Zapata Gallery in Miami, United States.

Lianet’s work is characterized by the use of multiple media, scales, and techniques. It includes paintings, drawings, photographs, collages, and sculptural or installation structures whose processes of reference and meaning transcend the two-dimensional plane. It is through this methodology that she channels her ideas. These stem from personal experiences—her own or others’—in dialogue with everyday contexts and broader experiences that inform and shape her working process.