About
The first exhibition at East Central also coincides with the first solo show by Carlos Garaicoa in a London gallery.
Adopting his birth city as his main source of inspiration, the artist has developed an approach to the artistic medium where Havana is at the heart of his research and is used as a metaphor for human existence.
In his ongoing investigation, Garaicoa raises questions about humanity and society - independently from any specific geographic and political set-up, he challenges our perceptions and suggests we might take into account how un-civilised our world has become.
Garaicoa has been practicing since the early 1990s. He is internationally renowned for having participated in some of the most significant events in the contemporary art world: the Johannesburg Biennal in 1995, the Gwangju Biennal in 1997, the Sao Paulo Biennal in 1998, and the V, VI and VII Havana Biennales, as well as the first Yokohama Triennial in 2001. In 2002 Garaicoa was invited to participate in Kassel's Documenta 11, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Garaicoa's works have been shown in major public and private institutions, including the Fundacion Ludwig de Cuba, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Castello di Rivoli, Italy, and, most recently, he had a solo project at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield.
He is currently exhibiting at the 53rd Venice Biennale in the Latin American pavilion, and his solo show is currently ongoing at the Blandy Le Tours Castle in France.
Carlos Garaicoa's works are in numerous public collections, including: MOMA, New York; Guggenheim Museum, New York; MOCA, Los Angeles; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; Tate Modern, London; Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid; MACBA, Barcelona; Musée Européenne de la Photographie, Paris.
