Ruben Rodriguez's (b. Cardenas, Cuba, 1959) body of work is defined by a fundamental interest in the lines that define not only our bodies in their complex hybridizations but also the context and the current circumstances in which we live. Their emotionally charged vibrancy conveys the artist's personal archive of desires, memories, and obsessions linked to the notion of destiny in its unpredictable and finite cycle. His work is enigmatic in its simplicity and high level of suggestion, evoking deep ontological questions related to the human condition and its permanent struggle with loneliness and sexuality.
Ruben Rodriguez (b. 1959 in Cardenas, Cuba) graduated from the National School of Arts (ENA, Havana) in 1980. From 1998 until 2001, he was a Professor of Serigraphy at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA, Havana).
Ruben Rodriguez is represented in the collections of The Joan Miro Foundation (Spain), National Museum of Fine Art, Havana (Cuba), Luly Duke Foundation Amistad, New York, Museum of Modern Art, Johannesburg (South Africa), Museum of Modern Art (Peru).
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 Sensual Delights, Adelmo Art Gallery, Miami.
2017 Secret, Villa Manuela Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2015 Good Shadow, 12th Havana Biennial, Cuba.
2012 Sands of Desire, 11th Havana Biennial. Havana, Cuba.
2011 Naked Forever, Pedro Esquerré Gallery. Matanzas, Cuba.
2009 Take It Easy, Cultural Center, 10th Havana Biennial, Cuba.
2009 Four Cats, La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2008 Busy Beds, Origenes Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2007 Chocolate Flavor, Inglaterra Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2006 Amulets, Palace of the Count of Lombillo Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2005 Black and White Drapery, Villa Manuela Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2005 Drawings and Paintings, Gallery of the NH Central Park Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2005 Serenade to Sensuality, Oscar Maria de Rojas Museum, Cárdenas, Matanzas, Cuba.
2005 Drawings and Paintings, Santa Clara Art Gallery, Santa Clara, Cuba.
2004 Reflexes II, Bezalel Gallery, Raquel Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2004 Cuban Erotic Art, The Avenue 50 Studio Gallery, Los Angeles.
2004 Proverbs and Initiations, Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2003 Double Forms, Espacio 304 Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
2003 Reflexes, Museum of Colonial Art, Havana, Cuba.
2002 Robes, René Portocarrero Gallery, National Theater, Havana, Cuba.
2002 Graphics, Gallery of the NH Central Park Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2002 Silhouettes, Pequeño Espacio Gallery. National Council of Plastic Arts. Havana, Cuba.
2001 Drawings and Paintings, La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2001 Memory. Contact. Remembrance. Lausin & Blasco Gallery, Zaragoza, Spain.
1994 Inner Way, Old Square Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
1992 Drawings and Painting, Tate–Tate Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
1991 Crypt, Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 Sex, Design, Metonymy, Kendall Art Center, Miami.
2018 Dialogues and Alliances, Collage Habana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2017 To Cuba, Alex Gallery, Washington D.C.
2017 Without Masks, National Museum of Fine Arts. Havana, Cuba.
2016 A New Dawn, Gode and Code Fine Arts, New York.
2015 AB&C, Masters of Generation, 12 Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba.
2013 Seven-7, Royal York Gallery, Toronto, Canada.
2012 AB&C Masters of Generation, 11th Havana Biennial, National Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2012 Perspectives, Benito Juárez House-Museum, Havana, Cuba.
2011 Art Moscow, International Art Fair, Moscow, Russia.
2011 In20tArte, National Center of Stomatology, Havana, Cuba.
2011 Oltre il Mediterraneo, Several Cultural Spaces, Bari, Italy.
2011 1 Minute of Silence, Guayasamín House-Museum, Havana, Cuba.
2010 Face down, La Acacia Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2010 Cuban Plastic Artists, PEREZ-VAL Gallery, San José, Costa Rica.
2010 In the Sighting Pole, Siranga Art Gallery, Valencia, Spain.
2010 Diversity, Cuba Pavilion, CNAP, Havana, Cuba.
2010 New Acquisitions, CNAP, Covarrubias Room, National Theater, Havana, Cuba. 2010 Confluencias Inside, La Acacia Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2010 No Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban, Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa.
2010 Between Islands, Los Oficios Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2010 Confluencias Inside, National Hispanic Cultural Center, New Mexico.
2010 Charity Evening in the Fight Against Cancer. Canadian Embassy, Havana, Cuba.
2010 Cuban Contemporary Art, Habana Art Gallery, Bremen, Germany.
2009 Erotic Art, Enmarcarte, San Jose, Costa Rica.
2009 Cuban Contemporary Art, Modern Art Gallery, Amsterdam, Holland.
2009 Colors of Cuba, Art Affair Gallery, Regensburg, Germany.
2009 Cuban Contemporary Art, Wifredo Lam Room, Cuban Embassy. Nürnberg- Bonn, Germany.
2009 Exhibitions. Gora Art Gallery, Internet Virtual Gallery at www.gallerygora.com
2009 A Trace in the Island Time, Ehrenhalle des Rathauses, Nuremberg, Germany.
2009 Nostàlgia de futur, Homenatge a Rena, Centre del Carmen, Valencia, Spain. 2009 Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Kuba, Nürnberg-Bonn, Germany.
2009 The Expanded Island, Andalucía, Spain.
2009 Crisis, Pabexpo, 10th Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba.
2009 Pure Coincidence, Pabexpo, 10th Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba.
2008 Valoarte, National Gallery, Children’s Museum, San Jose, Costa Rica.
2008 The Rupture Generation, Tataya Art Gallery, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
2008 47 Artists and Writers at the 7th Congress, Conference Center. Havana, Cuba. 2008 Permament Exhibition. Tope de Collantes Museum. Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.
2008 “The Rape through the Eyes” Project, Spanish-American Cultural Center, Havana. Cuba.
2008 Confluences Inside, Art Museum of Zapopa, Jalisco, Mexico.
2007 Confluences Inside, José Luis Cueva Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
2007 Confluences Inside, Modern Art Museum of Toluca, Mexico.
2007 Confluences Inside, Jesús Gallardo Gallery, Culture Institute. Leon, Mexico. 2007 Confluences Inside, Juárez Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Tabasco, Mexico.
2007 The Light of your Absence, Homage to Celia, San Francisco de Asis Convent. Havana, Cuba.
2007 Painters of the Millennium, Alovera Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2006 New Territories, Arco, Madrid, Spain
2006 Los Oficios Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2006 New Territories, San Lucas Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2006 Trip to the Seed, Council of Plastic Arts, Santa Clara, Cuba.
2006 Confluences Inside, Clavijero Palace, Morelia, Mexico.
2005 Annual Summary, Villa Manuela Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2004 Deus Verus, Verus Homo, San Carlos Seminary, Havana, Cuba.
2004 Date with Angels, Jose Marti Memorial, Havana, Cuba.
2004 Give and Take, Villena Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2004 Trip to the Seed, Council of Plastic Arts, Santa Clara, Cuba.
2004 Cuban Art, Siena, Italy.
2004 Cuban Art, Huelva, Spain.
2004 Sonlar, National Theater, Havana, Cuba.
2003 On the Edge. Erotic Art. O’Farrill Hostel, Havana, Cuba.
2003 Plastic Visions on Stained Glass Art, National Museum of Fine Arts. Havana, Cuba.
2003 Sex-Timiento. Sexology 2003. International Conference Center, Havana, Cuba.
2003 Contemporary Cuban Art, Art Center of Getafe, Madrid, Spain.
2003 Current Cuban Painting, Guayasamin Foundation, Quito, Ecuador.
2003 Culture and Development, International Conference Center, Havana, Cuba.
2003 Trip to the Seed, Council of Plastic Arts. Santa Clara, Cuba.
2003 Expo with Isabel, Isabel Santos Studio-Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
2003 31 Cuban Artists, Borde Rio Gallery, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
2002 Conciliation in the forties. National Museum of Fine Arts. Havana, Cuba.
2002 Trip to the Seed, Council of Plastic Arts, Santa Clara, Cuba.
2002 Contemporary Plastic Artists, Gallery Valanti, San Jose, Costa Rica.
2002 Cuban Influences, Commonwealth Club, London, UK.
2002 Homage, Gallery of the NH Central Park Hotel, Havana, Cuba.
2001 Made in Cuba, Cuba 513 Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2000 First Erotic Art Salon, La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1999 The Multiple Trace, CENCREM, Havana, Cuba.
1999 Three from Cuba, Gummersbach, Germany.
1997 Six Cuban Artists, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Japan.
1996 Engravings and Serigraphs, Palma School of Arts. Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 1996 Cuban Art. Centre Culturell PTT La Source. Orleans. France.
1996 Seeing is Believing: Six Cuban Painters in Italy, Rome, Italy.
1996 Contemporary Cuban Art, National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba.
1995 Cuban Art, Saint Dennis Hotel, Paris, France.
1994 Cuban Graphics, Carlos Olachea Gallery, La Paz, California.
1994 Serigraphs Exhibit, Pilar i Joan Miro Foundation, Mallorca, Spain.
1994 Graphics International Biennial, Maastrich, Holland.
1992 Serigraphs and Drawings, Kirov, Russia.
1992 Men at Work, Habana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1992 Color of Cuba, Art Room, Sevilla Expo, Sevilla, Spain.
1992 Homage to Tino Casal, Havana, Cuba.
1992 America ́92,Gaudì Art Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
1991 Madrid – Havana Portfolio, Serigraphy Workshop, Havana, Cuba.
1991 Cuban Contemporary Engraving, Museum of Colonial Art, Havana, Cuba.
1991 Made in Cuba, Gallery Tate –Tate, Madrid, Spain.
1991 Workshop Heroes, René Portocarrero Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
1991 Fingerprint, Havana Art Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
1990 An Island Named Cuba, Rome, Italy.
1990 UNEAC ́s Plastic Arts Salon, National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba. 1990 Spanish-Cuban Fan, Alamar Art Center, Havana, Cuba.
1989 Cuba in Joyful Colors, Sudan Art Center, Bagdad, Iraq.
1989 Contemporary Cuban Art, Westoeh Gallery, New York.
1989 Homage to Jose Marti, Vigo Cultural Center, Spain.
1989 Cuban Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Japan.
1989 Today ́s Cuban Painting, Dunis de Samos Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
1988 Current Cuban Painting, Ponzano 16 Exposition Center, Zaragoza, Spain.
1988 Cuban Papers and Canvases, Wifredo Lam Center, Havana, Cuba.
1988 Current Cuban Painting, Barcelona City Hall. Barcelona, Spain.
1987 More than Twenty Aprils, Havana Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
1987 1st Salon of Young Cuban Plastic Artists, Museum of Santa Clara, Cuba.
1987 Cuban Painting, People Cultural Center. Madrid, Spain.
1987 Fresh Air. Old Square Gallery. Havana, Cuba.
1987 Cuban Painting, Chopo Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
1987 Cuban Serigraphs
1987 Contemporary Art Museum, Tehran, Iran.
1987 Paintings and Drawings, Galeano Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1987 Cuba in Paris, Paris, France.
1987 Cuban Serigraphs, Toronto, Canada.
1987 Engraving Exhibit, National Museum of Fine Arts. Havana, Cuba.
1986 First Iberoamerican Biennial of Seriated Art, Interart, Varsovia, Poland.
1986 Young Painters, Havana Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1981 Five Youth, Las Palmas City Hall, Palmas de Canarias, Spain.
1981 Young Painters, Alamar Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1980 Eighth Plastic Arts Salon, Matanzas, Cuba.
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS & WORKSHOPS
1999 Masterclasses, theoretical and practical course. ISA, Havana, Cuba
1997 Masterclasses, theoretical and practical course. Joan Miro Foundation, Mallorca, Spain.
1996 Masterclasses, theoretical and practical courses. Joan Miro Foundation, Mallorca, Spain.
1995 Masterclasses, theoretical and practical courses. Joan Miro Foundation, Mallorca, Spain.
1994 5th International Encounter of Serigraphy. Rene Portocarrero Workshop, Havana, Cuba.
1993 Creation of Serigraphy workshops. Havana, Cuba.
1990 Sericuba ́90. Rene Portocarrero Workshop, RPW, Havana, Cuba.
1987 3rd International Encounter of Serigraphy, RPW, Havana, Cuba.
1985 2nd International Encounter of Serigraphy, RPW, Havana, Cuba.
1984 1st International Encounter of Serigraphy, RPW, Havana, Cuba.