Visual Artist Roberto Diago Represents Cuba at the Venice Biennale

Cuba is being represented at the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in Italy by renowned painter and sculptor Roberto Diago with his project Free Men, according to a diplomatic spokesperson.

Cuban Ambassador to Italy Jorge Luis Cepero, who participated in the inauguration of the Cuban pavilion, highlighted Diago’s distinguished artistic career, describing him as one of the island’s most important visual artists, Carlos Gutiérrez, first secretary for Cultural Affairs, told Prensa Latina.

Cepero emphasized the significance of the Free Men exhibition, currently on display at Il Giardino Bianco in Venice, where it will remain open to the public from May 9 through November 22 of this year.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Jorge Fernández, director of Cuba’s National Museum of Fine Arts, and Nelson Ramírez, curator of the exhibition. During the event, Diago expressed the honor he feels in presenting his work on behalf of Cuba at one of the world’s most important art exhibitions.

Through his artistic work, Diago reflects the historical conflict of the African diaspora, portraying a spirit of resistance and the daily struggle for survival.

Diago’s career, spanning more than three decades, has earned broad international recognition through participation in prestigious art circuits across Europe, Africa, the United States, and the Caribbean. His works have appeared in hundreds of solo and collective exhibitions in approximately 25 countries.

“Free Men honors those who suffered segregation, paying tribute to the maroons who chose death before slavery and venerating those who risked their lives for immediate sovereignty,” Fernández stated.

The installation consists of sculptures of varying dimensions that move toward the viewer, both welcoming and confronting them. The works feature scars raised in relief on rusted metals, wood, plastics, and reclaimed materials, serving as a tactile memory that refuses to be erased by oblivion, according to the artist’s description.

“It is a perpetual reminder that freedom is not given, it is conquered; it is not a passive state, but a continuous practice, a constant tension that demands keeping memory alive and dignity intact.”

In this way, Diago addresses “the solidarity that persists among the people of his country despite the hardships of the current context,” Fernández noted.

“Every component of Free Men is inscribed on the skin of present-day Cuba,” the museum director observed, emphasizing that “its elements speak to the resilience of the nation.”