About the artist

Rigoberto Antonio Guerrero is a young contemporary Cuban artist.
He was born in 1968 in Matanzas Cuba, under the Castro regime.He grew up in a household where artistic expression was appreciated and encouraged; Although materials were not always available, his dreams and ideas were always abundant.

In 1986 Antonio was drafted into the army and was immediately transported to Africa to ﬁght in the Ethiopian War. Finding himself inspired
by the people and scenes of Africa he developed an interest in modern expressionism, and began to experiment with modern forms of visual art. The
popularity of his work led to exhibits of his paintings at the military base.

Guerrero returned to Cuba in 1988 where he resumed his job as an artisan specializing in painting, engraving woodcarving, sculpting and metal work. Feeling increasingly oppressed by Cuba’s government, and unhappy with the worsening living conditions, Antonio, along with two other men, climbed into a raft they had secretly designed and built. Floating off from the coast of Matanzas, they were at sea for ﬁve days before being rescued and brought to the U.S..

While he has resided in the United States Guerrero has encountered many challenges that have inspired his artistic expression.
Guerrero creates art in phases, his subject matter is based on the episodes and emotional stages of his life,and the assortment of media he uses reﬂects and expressionistic style. He paints with acrylics as well as oils, explores line design with pencils, and uses mixed media to create montages. His experimenting in styles increases the originality of his work.

In january of 1995 Guerrero’s “Balseros del 92”, (“The Rafters of 92”)
was exhibited at Vanidades Gallery in Miami ,Fl..This painting was part of a collection donated to the Jose Marti Foundation in order to raised money for Florida International University student scholarships. This portrait of himself along with his cousin and friend ﬂeeing Cuba was said to best commemorate the occasion. On may 17,1996 Guerrero’s work was exhibited by U.S Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in Washington D.C. as a part of the “Cubans in exile” exhibit.

Guerrero desires to exhibit his work as a display of Cuban expressionism.
In order to celebrate his origins he does not wish to merely display “Cuban Art”,but the work of a young Cuban artist.