Raul Enmanuel Biography

Raul Enmanuel

Cuban

1958-

Biography

Painter and muralist Raul Enmanuel was born in San Luis de Cuba in 1958. He studied at the School for Plastic Arts, Jose Joaquin Tejada, in Santiago de Cuba; the National School of Art, Havana, Cuba (1976 - 1980); and the Higher Institute of Art, Havana, Cuba (1980 - 1985). His work has often been compared with that of Wifredo Lam, whose focus on nature and the symbology of Afro-Cuban culture was an early influence on Enmanuel's subject matter and style. In addition to his paintings on canvas and paper, he was commissioned to create murals throughout Cuba, including a 30' interior mural at the prestigious Melia Cohiba Hotel restaurant, and a 40' mural in a railway terminal and another in the executive airport of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. He has also worked with American television producers as a set decorator.

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2004 – La locomotora de mi papa, Canvas Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002 – Buscando Caminos, Galeria Juan Marinillo, Institute for the Friendship with People, Havana, Cuba
2000 – Mi Tiempo Vegetal, Casa de Teatro, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1999 – Mi Tiempo Vegetal, Casa de Arte, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
1999 – Acrilicos sobre Telas, Galeria Oriente, Santiago, Cuba
1994 – Galeria Coral, Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
1993 – Tropico, Center of Applied Studies, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1991 – Amuletos Recuerdo de mis abuelos, Galeria Oriente, Santiago, Cuba
1989 - Dibujos sobre Cartulinas, Galeria Cine Cuba, Santiago, Cuba
1988 – Dibujos sobre Cartulinas, Festival of Cuban Culture, Burdeo, France
1987 – 2nd annual Festival of Cuban Culture, Havana, Cuba
1987 – Apuntes para un Proyecto, Galeria de Arte Universal, Manzanillo, Cuba
1986 – De lo Nuestro La Vegetacion, Galeria de Arte Universal, Santiago, Cuba
1985 – Muntu, Galeria Galeano, Havana, Cuba

Selected Collective Exhibitions
2008 – The Americas Collection – Coral Gables, Florida
2008 – Featured artist - Spring Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2008 – Spring Brewery Artwalk, LS Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA
2007 – Fall Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007 – Outstanding new contemporary artists, LS Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA
2007 – Elements of Abstraction, Gallery on State, Santa Barbara, CA
2006 – Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005 – Crosscurrents, Soho Gallery, Studio City, CA
2005 – Contemporary Visions, Audis Husar Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA
2005 – Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004 – Tropical Profundo, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004 – Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003 - Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003 - Cuban Artists, Gallery Nader, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2002 – Brewery Artwalk, MLA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2002 – Cuban Painters, Naipe Museum, Havana, Cuba
2001 – Cuban Artists, Gallery Nader, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2000 – Four Abstract Painters, Galeria San Ignacio, Havana, Cuba
2000 - Participant in the 7th Havana Biennial
1999 - End of the Century Hall, Emilio Bacardi Museum, Santiago, Cuba
1999 - Serigraphy Workshop, Taller Rene Portocarrero, Havana, Cuba
1999 - Cuban Painters, Museum of the Americas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1998 - Galeria de Arte Universal, Santiago, Cuba
1998 - Galeria Oriente, Santiago, Cuba
1997 - Salon de 30 de Noviembre, Santiago, Cuba
1996 - The Gallery of the Hotel Melia Cohiba, Santiago, Cuba
1995 - House of Culture Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
1994 - Art Center Gallery, Nelva, Colombia
1994 – Five Cuban Painters, Viva del Arte Galeria, Bogota, Colombia
1993 - Four Cuban Painters, Art Gallery of the Dominican Institute of Applied Studies ( IDEA), Santo Domingo, D.R.
1990 – Contemporary Painting, Center for Dominican Architecture, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1988 – Cuban Painters, Centro de Arte 501, San Francisco
1988 - Cultural Assets Hall Fund, Santiago, Cuba
1987 - Salon 30 de Noviembre, Santiago, Cuba
1987 - Galeria de Arte Universal, Santiago, Cuba
1986 - Seven Cuban Painters, Gallery of the House of Culture, Havana, Cuba
1986 - Participant in the 2nd Havana Biennial
1985 - Students Hall of the Hermanos Sainz Brigade, Galerie Oriente, Santiago, Cuba
1984 – Students Hall, Higher Institute of Art, Cubanacan, Havana, Cuba
1984 - Participant in the 1st Havana Biennial – A Tribute to the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Lobby of the Carl Marx Theatre, Havana, Cuba

Awards
1999 - National Prize of Serigraphy, Workshop “Rene Portocarrero”
1998 - Cuban Cultural Assets Fund, 1st prize for painting
1998 - Salon Fin de Siglo, National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC)
1997 - Honorable mention – Emilio Bacardi Museum, Santiago, Cuba
1997 - First Prize, Acquisition for Permanent Collection, Emilio Bacardi Museum, Santiago, Cuba
1989 - National Award for the Painting on Canvas, TELARTE Vll, Cultural assets of Cuba Fund
1987 - Honorable mention, Painting, City Hall, Santiago, Cuba
1986 – 1st Prize for the Carnival Poster, San Luis, Santiago, Cuba
1985 - Honorable mention, Students Hall of the Hermanos Sainz Brigade, Galeria Oriente, Santiago, Cuba
1984 – 1st Prize for the Carnival Poster, San Luis, Santiago, Cuba

Distinctions and memberships
1998 - Shield of Villa de San Luis de las Enramadas, Santiago, Cuba
1997 – Official Key of the Cultural Assets of Cuba Fund, Santiago, Cuba
Member of UNEAC (National Union of Cuban Writers and Artists)
Member of the International Association of Plastic Artists

Selected collections
Emilio Bacardi Museum, Santiago, Cuba
Museo Polivalente, Santiago, Cuba
Center of Art Ceballo Estrella, Santiago, Cuba
MLA Gallery Collection, Los Angeles, CA
Banco de Reservas, Santo Domingo, D.R.

In addition to many private collections throughout Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Jamaica Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, and the United States.