In The Middle.
Located in the heart of the United States, the city of Kansas City becomes the ideal host for an exhibition featuring the vibrant and engaging art of the globally-renowned Cuban artist Carlos Quintana. Titled “In the Middle,” this exhibition invites viewers to become immersed in the universe of Quintana’s artwork and mind, where his masterful brushwork and intense use of color transport the viewer to the very center of his creative universe.
Throughout his long and illustrious career, Quintana has continued to refine his artistic language, developing a unique style that speaks to his own personal experience as a Cuban artist living and working within the global art world. His work is characterized by the fusion of figurative and abstract elements, which are seamlessly blended to create a highly dynamic and visually arresting style.
At its core, “In the Middle” is a celebration of Quintana’s extraordinary vision and his unique ability to create art that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the full breadth of Quintana’s artistic language in the Midwest.
Biography
According to the artist – considered by many to be a self-taught master – now, in his fifties, he still studies drawing, painting, and perspective. He once said:
“Paint in your youth so you won’t have to when you’re older”
Maybe this helps to comprehend his reluctance to fit in or catalog himself and exemplifies our difficulties in compiling this text. Places, dates, times, and locations are not easily recorded for you the reader. Perhaps, this is because the art of Carlos Quintana supersedes all these things and stands alone. His paintings are of the past and future, of any time or place, and an amalgamation of the vast cultural, historical, and religious knowledge the artist incorporates into his works.
We do know that there are too many important moments in his career, collections, museums, and exhibitions for them all not to be mentioned. However, we will mention a select few. Exhibitions include at art institutions such as the Venice Biennale, Vatican Museum, National Arts Club, Panama Museum of Contemporary Art, and National Museum of Fine Arts Havana. His works are also held in the Museu Colecao Berado in Lisbon, Rubin Museum of Art in New York, The Gilbert Brownstone Foundation in Paris, and the Gary Nader Collection in Miami, among others.
Simply stated his artwork has been present from the early 1990s at the most important art fairs in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Latin America, and his works have been shown at important galleries and contemporary art centers around the world.
Carlos Quintana is an extraordinarily active artist, and his story has not yet come to an end.
The Painter
Carlos Quintana is a Cuban painter whose art is known for its expressive and symbolic qualities. Quintana’s paintings often feature a mix of grotesqueness and beauty, while exploring the formal properties of paint and incorporating iconography from various cultural traditions.
Quintana draws inspiration from a range of sources, including historic European paintings, Latin American and Caribbean folklore, and Asian religions. He often reinterprets existence creating a dreamlike universe that is suspended and balanced. Quintana’s art offers a unique perspective on the world, creating a visual language that is both thought-provoking and visually stunning.
Carlos Quintana’s art is known for its ability to transport viewers to a different dimension, offering a unique glimpse into the artist’s mind. His use of a palette of solid colors adds a symbolic character to his work and depicts daily encounters through classic historical art scenes.
Quintana’s paintings are highly regarded for their ability to convey complex themes and ideas through a combination of emblematic imagery and expressive techniques. His work has earned him international recognition, and he is considered one of the most important figures in Cuban art.