Cuban artist Alan Manuel Gonzalez once found it unthinkable to be showing his art outside of Cuba. He has described his paintings as the result of the inescapable circumstance of living there. Today, censorship in Cuba is the most intense in the western hemisphere. Gonzalez relies on the use of metaphor and surrealism to express both his love for his country and disdain for its problems.

His recent exhibition “Contained Metaphors”, which showed recently at Lois Lambert Gallery & Gallery of Functional Art in Santa Monica, California, focused on this idea of inescapability and containment. His paintings portray tropical jungles, islands and Cuban landmarks inside of things like glass jars and water droplets. Being a devout Catholic, Gonzalez also incorporates religious themes and images of cathedrals into his pieces. In the 16th century, the English navy, among others, used bottle messages to share information about enemy positions. With this in mind, one could see Gonzalez’ paintings like his own messages in a bottle to the world outside of Cuba.

 

Solo Exhibitions / Exposiciones Personales 

2012 "Pray with us". Havana Cathedral, Havana, Cuba. 

2011 "Faith". Florida Hotel Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2011 "Blessed are those Who..." Collage Habana Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2011 "The Tree is Known By ...". Opening of the Father Felix Varela Cultural Center, Havana, Cuba. 

2010 "Blessed are those who...". National Culture Day. San Carlos and San Ambrosio Catholic Seminary, Havana, Cuba. 

2008 "The World's Light ", La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2007 "You are the World's Light", National Culture Day. San Carlos and San Ambrosio Catholic Seminary, Havana, Cuba. 

2001 "Mural at the Charismatic Renewal's headquarters, Miami, FL, USA 

1997 "Real Cuban" Casa Benito Juárez Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1997 "Of the Possible Islands (Territory Metaphors)," Exhibiting with artist and sociologist Alejandro Campos, Provincial Center of Visual Arts and Design, Havana, Cuba. 

1993 "Nothing's Happening", Kahlo Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1987 "A Facts' Retreat", San Alejandro Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 
 

Selected Group Exhibitions / Exposiciones Colectivas 

1988 "S.A.", San Alejandro Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1989 "Nine Alchemists and a Blind" ,Thalia Hall Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1990 "The Burrow's Opening Ceremony", Quinta de Los Molinos Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1990 "Beware, There is Man", Faculty of Journalism Gallery, University of Havana, Havana, Cuba. 

1994 "For a Lack of Bread, Camels", Collateral Exhibition to the Havana Biennial, Cuba Pavilion, Havana, Cuba. 

1995 "III ARAR Group Exhibition ", International Press Center Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1996 "A Personal Title", House Benito Juarez Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1996 "Landscape?",Provincial Center of Fine Arts and Design Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1997 "Five Young People from the Nineties", Teatro Mella Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

1997 "Heat and Color: Gijon's Cuban Painting", Hathor Gallery, Gijon, Spain. 

1998 "Cubanías (From the Caribbean island 52 Years Later)," Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

1999 "United by the Heart", Gallery L, Havana, Cuba. 

1999 'imaginations Cubanas ", Girona, Barcelona, Spain. 

1999 "Cuba, Art of Other Island", Sardinia, Italy. 

2007 "La Acacia Catalogue, from September to December" La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2008 "Everyone with Their Landscape," National Exhibition of Landscape, La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2009 "Everyday Dialogue", Memorial José Martí Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2009 "Cuban Visions", Embassy of Cuba in Doha-Qatar, Qatar. 

2009 "RestaurArte", Collateral Exhibition to the Havana Biennial, Mercaderes No. 263 Gallery, Havana, Cuba 

2009 "Reunion", Pierre A. Renoir Gallery. French Union, Havana, Cuba. 

2009 "This Man is my Friend", José Martí Memorial Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2009 "ArtBo", International Art Fair, Bogotá, Colombia. 

2010 "Art Moscow", International Art Fair, Moscow, Russia. 

2010 "Landscape at La Acacia", La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2010 "Mosaic", Municipal Gallery Jaguey Grande". Matanzas, Cuba. 

2010 "Hand in Hand and Running", Pavilion Cuba Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2010 "Tribute to the Master". Landscape Hall, 170 anniversary of Esteban Chartrand's Birthday. Convento San Francisco de Assisi Museum, Havana, Cuba. 

2011 "Without the Branch", National Exhibition of Landscape, La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

2012 "This Man is my Friend", Gallery Memorial José Martí, Havana, Cuba. 

  

Awards / Premios 

2011 Honorable Mention, National Exhibition of Landscape, "Without the Branch"; La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba. 

  

Collections / Colecciones  

France, Russia, the United States, England, Germany, Holland, Spain, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia and Cuba.