ROBERTO FABELO IN NEW YORK: THE COEXISTENCE OF BEAUTY AND CHAOS
The Cervantes Institute in New York presents the exhibition Fabelo. Critical States, a selection of 13 works by renowned Cuban artist Roberto Fabelo, curated by Mario José Hernández. The collection invites viewers to immerse themselves in a disturbing universe where the real and the fantastic coexist in an unstable balance.
Critical States is a series that stems from Vital Fragments, key pieces that are now part of the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba. In this exhibition of new works on kraft paper, drawn from the artist’s personal collection, a dialogue emerges among figures that symbolize resistance, chaos, or transformation.
The use of kraft paper, with its irregular textures and expressive force, recalls Goya’s radical gesture with his etchings: a need for expansion, a break from the more solemn formats of painting. Fabelo cuts the support at random, exposing its accidents and turning those imperfections into part of his visual language.
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Cortesía de Instituto Cervantes de Nueva York. Fotografía: Casilda García López
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Cortesía del Instituto Cervantes de Nueva York. Fotografía: Casilda García López
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Cortesía del Instituto Cervantes de Nueva York. Fotografía: Casilda García López
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Cortesía del Instituto Cervantes de Nueva York. Fotografía: Casilda García López
Through his drawings and paintings, Fabelo creates a singular iconography populated by hybrid creatures, mutating bodies, and dreamlike scenes, where beauty coexists with unease. Rich in symbolism, his work unfolds as a critical territory that challenges both the viewer and the present time.
Roberto Fabelo (Camagüey, 1950) is one of Cuba’s most important contemporary artists. His work, which spans painting, sculpture, and illustration, has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. Inspired by Goya and the literature of magical realism, his art stands out for its technical virtuosity and its ability to tell visual stories that oscillate between the fantastic and the grotesque.
Fabelo. Critical States will remain open to the public through July 6, 2025, at the Cervantes Institute in New York, 211 E 49th St (United States).
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