Carlos Enrique Prado

Website:

http://carlospradoart.com
https://www.instagram.com/carlospradoart/

Artist Statement:

As an artist, I find the opportunity for creativity by juxtaposing recycled elements that have been used in art before. These elements can be identified as objects or motifs represented in works of art or even as some specific mode of representation itself. 

The human figure has been at the center of a vast number of my works, which, in some way, connects with my interest in an anthropological perspective. However, this interest is channeled through the action of recycling emblematic ways in which the human figure has been  represented in some periods of art history, focusing mainly on the ancient Greco-Roman heritage. Then, my exploration is centered about establishing a dialog between modes of representation created by humans more than about the representations of the figure itself. In some way, I try to challenge the western aesthetic paradigm using historical symbols of power  stripped of the original content. The original images created to stand on a pedestal now somehow become a pedestal themself in my work. Since I am a Cuban artist, the western culture still considers me as "the other", but at the same time, I see the western culture as "the other" as well. Thus, when I bring the western European legacy into my work, the feeling of not belonging and the lack of attachment allows me to re-use re-signified visual icons and paradigms in new contexts. Somehow, I can draw an analogy, for example, with the appropriation of African art by Cubist artists as a mere exotic visual language without any allusion to the original meanings. Moreover, with the recycling action, I establish a dialogue with my personal experience as an immigrant, a situation that causes one to constantly reinvent oneself and stand up over a pile of old versions of oneself. 

On the other hand, the anthropological connotations in my works sometimes emerge from more direct references to my personal experiences. Life's journey is full of unexpected episodes and situations, in which sometimes the feeling of being a pawn becomes overwhelming. Those episodes also find a way to be reflected in my works in a more forceful manner. Carlos Enrique Prado, 2021 

Biography:

Carlos Enrique Prado is a visual artist and professor of art. He is originally from Havana, Cuba, where he received education and developed a career as a professional artist and art educator. Carlos was a professor of sculpture and ceramics at ISA, University of Art of Cuba until he moved to the United States in 2011. He currently lives and works in South Florida, and teaches ceramics at the University of Miami, where he holds the position of Senior Lecturer of Art. Carlos’ teaching is characterized by the ability to adequately communicate the technical and conceptual aspects of art, with an emphasis on ceramics and figurative sculpture. His teaching skills have helped him build a solid reputation in academia. 

Carlos's artworks are predominantly sculptures and ceramics, but he has also delved into drawing and digital art. His works have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions at major art institutions, museums, and galleries in Cuba and the USA, as well as in other countries in the Americas and Europe. They are also part of important private and public collections. He has also presented his work as a visiting artist and guest speaker at various universities and art schools, including NCECA, the University of Southern California, Midwestern State University, Arizona State University, University of Mary Washington, and the University of Alabama. 

As part of his artistic production, Carlos has made several public artworks. Two of his major public sculptures are part of the Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places collection. His most recent large-scale public sculpture is located in the Town Hall Plaza, Medley, Florida.