Juan Abreu

I have painted and written ever since I was young and, as far as I can remember, they are the only things I have ever truly been interested in. Since some years ago, after alternating writing and painting for a long time, I now only paint. My search in the field of visual arts could be summarized by saying that my aim is to achieve a self-sufficient artistic object. I don't believe an achieved artistic object needs an explanation, and that is what I seek. I paint portraits, bodies, interiors, and everything I paint is related to my life. The art of an artist can only be about himself. In my ink series called The Good Times, I focus on people who love each other or simply enjoy the bodies of one another, people who try to be free. I am interested in art insofar as a space of freedom. In other words, a place in which one can attain levels of freedom that are otherwise hard to attain in what we call real life.

Degree in Fine Arts from the School of Fine Arts of San Alejandro in La Habana, Cuba.
He arrived in America in 1980 and settled in Miami, Florida. He currently lives in Barcelona, Spain.

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS

1984 The Human Relations. Metro-Dade Library System. Miami, Florida
1991 The Human Comedy: Recent Paintings. Opus Gallery. Coral Gables, Florida
1993 Banderas. Fredic Snitzer Gallery. Coral Gables, Florida
1994 Juan Abreu: Recent Paintings. Expresiones Arte Latinoamericano. Guayaquil. Ecuador
1995 Juan Abreu: There is nothing like maternity, childhood, friendship, love and other atrocities. Fredic Snitzer Gallery. Coral Gables, Florida
1996 Juan Abreu: Recent Works. Expresiones Arte Latinoamericano. Guayaquil. Ecuador
1997 Juan Abreu: Recent Works. Joyce Goldstein Gallery. Soho, New York


COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS

1982 Ten out of Cuba. INTAR Art Gallery. New York
1984 Young Collector of Latin American Art. Metropolitan Museum & Art Center. Coral Gables, Florida
1985 Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition. Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. Atlanta, Georgia.
1986 Caribbean Art. Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art (MOCHA) New York.
1987 Visions of Self: The America Latin Artost. M.D.C.C./South Campus Gallery. Coral Gables, Florida.
1989 Christ, Ataie, Abreu-Felippe, Fleming. Morton & Sierra. Opus Gallery. Coral Gables, Florida.
1990 New Gallery Artist: Abreu-Felippe, Fleming, Morton & Sierra. Opus...