JASSIEL PALENZUELA

BIOGRAPHY

Through the juxtaposition of images he recreates a highly postmodern universe charged with a critique of the Cuban government's propaganda and indoctrination. Graduated from the San Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts in 2008, he presents a work in constant evolution, a journey that the artist has defined as from ISMO TO POP and from POP TO POP.

His work, close to Pop, recalls the 8-bit aesthetics of the classic videogames of the '90s.His reality, marked by a tense Cuban socio-political context, directly influences his pieces. Hence, his work echoes social, existential and political questions. His work aims to incite arbitrariness, and to hide controversy. It is a speech that uses the parable and the trickery of the metaphor to ironize about power and confront , from a false naivety, the triumphalist atmosphere of official speeches. From that apparent naivety, he seeks to demystify the cuban utopia and to ironize the POPulist rhetoric of the media, making us vomit rainbows, cry stars and ooze glitter.

Cuba exports an image abroad that the artist has defined as #candyislandia and #magickingdom because of its sweet and populist discourse that has been repeated incessantly by the official media, controlled by the government as part of its indoctrination and control of the masses. However, the reality inside the country is very different ( #dulcedistopia). His most recent work harshly questions issues such as power, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, militarism, censorship, indoctrination and official propaganda in the Cuba. Palenzuela has participated since 2012 in numerous group exhibitions in Cuba in art galleries such as Galería Carmelo Gonzáles or Galería Wifredo Lam, and solo exhibitions such as Pinturas Inweekend in Mexico at Galería Covarrubias, or Horizontes de Eventos at the Centro Provincial de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de La Habana, among others.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2019 Pinturas In-weekend. Covarrubias Gallery. Mexico City, Mexico. 2017 Horizonte de eventos. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Provincial Center for the Arts and Design. Havana, Cuba. 2015 El sol parece. L Gallery. University of Havana, Cuba. Desniveles. Miramar Trade Center. Jerusalem Building. Havana, Cuba. Desniveles. Comodoro Hotel. Miramar, Havana, Cuba. 2012 Con el pesar del guiño descreído. Carmelo Gonzales Gallery. Havana, Cuba.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 Art Palm Beach Show. Espinasse31Gallery. United States. 2022 CONTEXT Art Miami. Espinasse31Gallery. Miami Beach, United States. 2021 40 años de luz. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Provincial Center for the Arts and Design. Havana, Cuba. 2020-2021 8th Contemporary Cuban Art Exhibit. Visual Arts Development Center. Havana, Cuba. 2020 Y Ahora Pintura… Primera temporada, La Nave Gallery. Génesis Galleries. Miramar, Havana, Cuba. 2019 500x500 Exhibition dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Havana. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Provincial Center for the Arts and Design. Havana, Cuba. 2018 Ojos de hipopótamo. Covarrubias Gallery. Mexico City, Mexico La tierra dada. Asociación Hermanos Saíz 3rd Congress. Pabellón Cuba. Havana, Cuba. Post- It 5. Contemporary Cuban Art Exhibition. Galiano Gallery. Havana, Cuba. 2017 Cartografías de un sendero. Visual Arts Development Center. Havana, Cuba. 2016 21st City Exhibit. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Provincial Center for the Arts and Design. Havana, Cuba. Landscape Exhibit. Espacio 34 Gallery. Varadero. Matanzas, Cuba. Febrero insiste. L Gallery. University of Havana, Cuba. 2015 El guardabosque 2. Lobby Radio Metropolitana. Havana, Cuba. De momento. Miramar Trade Center. Havana Building. Havana, Cuba. El guardabosque. Luz y Oficios Gallery. Provincial Center for the Arts and Design. Havana, Cuba. En la memoria con la sed. Carmelo Gonzales Gallery. Havana, Cuba. 2014 Sangre. Félix Varela Cultural Centre. Havana, Cuba. Public Intervention. Wifredo Lam Gallery. Marianao. Havana, Cuba. 2013 Inner concept. Wifredo Lam Gallery. Marianao. Havana, Cuba. Salón de enero. Boyeros Art Centre. Havana, Cuba. 2012 El que tiene alas. Castillo Árabe. Jardines de la Tropical. Havana, Cuba. 9th Sculpture Biennial. Teodoro Ramos Blanco Gallery. Havana, Cuba. Fruta Madura. Casa sede de la ACAA, Cárdenas. Matanzas, Cuba.