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