Zaida del Rio
Zaida del Rio (b. 1954, Guadalupe, Las Villas, Cuba) is one of Cuba's most respected living female artists today. Her works establish a link between the human body as a landscape and nature. She draws inspiration from her intense connection with mother nature to create a imaginary world where plants and trees merge with human figures that are characterized by their innate femininity. By applying abstraction, del Rio uses a visual vocabulary that addresses spirituality and hedonism. Del Rio received her diploma in Fine Art from National School of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba, a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Superior Institute of Art in Havana, Cuba, and a Master in Fine Arts from the Ecole de Beaux in Paris, France. Her work has participated in all editions of the Biennial of Havana, Cuba and Biennales in Ecuador, Egypt, Brazil, Santo Domingo, and Japan. She has exhibited in solo exhibitions at Estudio los Oficios Gallery, Havana, Cuba; Gallery Via Larga, Florence, Italy; Gallery G, Barcelona, Spain and many other museums and galleries around the world. Her numerous group exhibitions include "Case Western Reserve" at Mather's University Gallery Cleveland, Ohio. Over the years, Del Rio has been honored with several awards including the Third Prize of Painting during the Biennial of Tenri Japan.
Education / Educación
1960-1971 Cienfuegos Art School (ENA), Havana, Cuba
1971-1974 National School of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
1982-1987 Higher Institute of Art (ISA), Havana, Cuba
1988-1989 Ecole de Beaux, Paris, France
Solo Exhibitions / Exposiciones Personales
2001 "Rituals: photographs". Estudio los Oficios Gallery, Havana, Cuba.
1998 "Works on paper." Coven Gallery, San Pedro de Alcantara, Malaga, Spain
1997 "Heart of Glass". La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1996 "And Why me". Estudio los Oficios Gallery. Havana. Cuba
1995 "Spring Collection". Hotel England. Havana, Cuba
1994 "Cuban Culture Day". Martinique
1993 "Drawings". Gallery Via Larga, Florence, Italy
1992 "Registration Sayings. Escape Gallery, Sao Paulo. Brazil
1989 "Barcelona's Dreams in the death of Dalí". Gallery G, Barcelona, Spain
1988 "Hunches". Wifredo Lam Center, Havana, Cuba
1987 "People's Prayers." Palacio de los Capitanes Generales. Havana, Cuba
1985 "Conversations". Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1982 "Prints and Drawings". Gallery Angora, Fonapas, Tabasco, Mexico
1981 "Notes From our Field." National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
1976 "Zaida del Rio". Engravings. L Gallery, Havana, Cuba
Selected Group Exhibitions / Exposiciones Colectivas
2002 "Case Western Reserve". Mather's University Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
2001 "Houses of Healing." La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1998 "Drawings and Paintings". Gallery Shimizu-Shizuoka, Japan
1998 "Paintings. Contemporary Space ", Sapporo-Hokkaido, Japan
1998 "Drawings and paintings". Promo-Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1998 "Land Bewitched". Alcala de Henares University, Madrid, Spain
1998 "The Arab Passion." Arab Union Gallery, Havana. Cuba
1997 "Iberoamerica Paints". Casa de America, Madrid, Spain. Prizes
1996 "ARCO Fair". Madrid, Spain
1995 "The Shape of the Earth," Buades Gallery, Madrid, Spain
1992 "In Crescent Moon". La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1989 "Another Branch to the Fire." The Royal Force National Museum, Havana, Cuba
1989 "Recent Works". Ninart Gallery, D.F Mexico, Mexico
1989 "The Sign of the Angel." International Graphic Center, Rome
1989 "Nourishing the Skin." Bernanos Gallery, Paris, France
1989 "About Love". Chanteaux Lormont, Bourdeaux, France
1989 "Barcelona's Dreams in the Death of Dalí". G Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
1982 "Horses' Disease." Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1976 "Stories". National Museum of Fine Art, Havana, Cuba
Awards / Premios
1998 Third Prize of Painting, Biennial of Tenri, Japan
1998 Second Prize, Art Foundation Nico Mendez Garcias, Segovia, Spain
1998 First Prize, Competition of Wines W.S.P. Havana Cuba
1994 The Alejo Carpentier Medal
1992 Gold Medal, First Prize of Painting, Biennial of Cairo, Egypt
1987 Lithograph Mention, La Joven Estampa. Havana Cuba
1984 Lithograph Prize, National Engraving Encounter, Cuba
1082 First Mention in Drawing. National Exhibition of Fine Arts. UNEAC 82
1981 Drawing Prize. National Exhibition Playa Giron
1980 First Mention of Engraving. National Exhibition of Fine Arts. UNEAC
1979 Drawing Prize, National Salon of Fine Arts, UNEAC, Cuba
1975 Second Prize of Engraving, National Salon of Fine Arts UNEAC. Havana, Cuba
Collections / Colecciones
National Museum of Fine Arts, Cuenca, Ecuador
Chateau Lormen. Tabasco, France
National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
Biennale / Bienales
Her work has participated in all editions of the Biennial of Havana, Cuba
Biennale of Engraving, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1991 Cuenca Biennale, Ecuador
1991 Sao Paulo Bienal, Brazil
1993 Cairo Biennale, Egypt
1994 Caribbean Biennale, Santo Domingo
1998 Tenri Biennale, Japan