"Manigua #7" Painting

Vladimir Castillo Gamboa was born on October 31, 1974 in Havana, Cuba. The youngest of six brothers, the only one in his family, Vladimir was fascinated by the visual arts from an early age. From the age of 11, studied painting at the Cultural Center of the Mariel Municipality in Havana, and after 3 years finished Provincial School of Art Juan Pablo Duarte.

In 1988, fascinating with contemporary art after the exhibition of American artist Robert Rauschenberg in National Museum of Havana, Vladimir started his transition from traditional to modern art. In 1993, graduated from the National School of Fine Arts, receiving the title - Specialist in the field of fine arts - direction: painting. Vladimir often uses alternative materials in his work. So, for his thesis, he used the earth as a filler for paints, and later in his works he used the essence of tobacco and ashes, working with these materials using the Grisaille technique.

Vladimir received his first international recognition as a teenager in 1989 on the Children Contest in Japan. In the period from 1993 to 2016, took part in more than 20 exhibitions, and also held 10 personal exhibitions, three times win First Prize Urriola Avelino Perez in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Also received First Prize in 2005 in the competition of the contemporary sculpture in Artemisa, Cuba.

In 2016, Vladimir moved to Serbia, where he continued his creative path, actively participating in the cultural life of the Serbian capital and the projects of public organizations, helping to introduce young people and preschool children to art, and at the same time working on opening his personal gallery in Belgrade, which took place in 2021. During this time participating in the group exhibitions in Belgrade and win the 9th place in the European art award.

The artist's paintings are in the collections of the Sephardic Jewish Center of Cuba in Havana, the Carlos Balinho Museum in the province of Artemisa, Cuba, and also in many private collections in Germany, Spain, France, Israel, the USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, Serbia, Croatia and Russia.

Currently living in Belgrade, Serbia