Circular Reflections

José Ramón Díaz Alejandro’s body of work blends a sensual form of Caribbean surrealism with masterful draftsmanship. He is best known for striking paintings that contrast lush, erotic tropical elements with cold, imaginary machinery. These dreamscapes do more than just showcase his imagination; they serve as deeply personal spaces where he explores memories of his Cuban homeland and the ache of displacement. Beyond his famous canvases, his drawings and serigraphs are also highly celebrated for their poetic beauty and sharp, satirical edge.

Academic Foundations: Born in the La Víbora neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, on February 16, 1943. He was raised in a family of artists, absorbing classical visual fundamentals from an early age. He pursued his foundational training briefly at the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro in Havana before continuing his education independently abroad. He completed independent coursework in printmaking and fine arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, during the early 1960s.

Institutional Service & Parallel Disciplines: Throughout his multi-decade career, his fine arts practice has been deeply informed by parallel achievements in high-level publishing, editorial design, and printmaking. He serves as a specialized illustrator and printmaker for limited-edition bibliophile books, collaborating closely with prominent European and Latin American avant-garde writers, novelists, and poets to merge literary narratives with fine art prints.

Exile, Translocation & Relocations: Departing Cuba in 1960 at the age of 17, his migration path began with significant developmental chapters across South America, living and studying in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. In the summer of 1963, he traveled throughout Spain before permanently settling in Paris, France, later that year. He spent over three decades immersed in the European avant-garde and French intellectual circles, establishing a prolific studio presence in Paris. He translocated to the United States in 1995, establishing his permanent residence and fine art studio in Miami, Florida.

Current Status: He permanently resides and works in Miami, Florida. He maintains an active studio practice and remains a highly influential voice within the global contemporary Latin American art landscape, frequently engaging in major archival initiatives, public retrospectives, and cross-cultural dialogues.

Institutional Panelist: Featured guest speaker and academic presenter in educational panel discussions centered on the preservation of Cuban art histories in exile, sponsored by the CINTAS Foundation and the Coral Gables Museum.

Artist Talks: Conductor of public academic dialogues and educational masterclasses accompanying his solo retrospectives, focusing on the intersection of European avant-garde surrealism with Afro-Cuban mythology.

Literary & Visual Symposia: Presenter and panelist alongside independent art historians exploring the complex relationship between his fine art visual output and mid-century French philosophy.

The Aparatos (Imaginary Machines): A defining multi-decade career block established during his historic Parisian period, focusing on meticulously rendered, complex mechanical structures. These phantom tools are suspended in vast, luminous spaces, functioning as a psychological exploration of cold, modern isolation and industrial rigidity.

Hyper-Sensual Tropical Flora: A major career transition focusing on monumentally scaled, hyper-realistic Caribbean fruits and exotic biological specimens. These highly celebrated forms explore the deep, erotic vitality of nature and serve as a visual bridge to his memories of the Cuban landscape.

Afro-Cuban Religious Iconography: A recurring conceptual motif where subtle spiritual and mythological symbols are seamlessly embedded within dreamlike landscapes. This thematic layer anchors his surrealist imagery, transforming his canvases into highly charged statements on ancestral identity, translocation, and cultural preservation.

This artist has participated in 18 solo exhibitions:

• 2023: Elogio de los sentidos / L’éloge des sens / In Praise of the Senses, Latin Art Core, Miami, Florida. (A comprehensive 80th-anniversary career retrospective spanning his multi-decade trajectory).
• 1996: Galería Jorge Sori, Miami Art Fair #6, Miami, Florida.
• 1996: Fundación Previsora-Galería, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 1995: Galería Jorge Sori, Miami, Florida.
• 1993: Galería Minotauro, Miami Art Fair #3, Miami, Florida.
• 1989: Obra Gráfica (Graphic Work), Museo Cubano de Arte y Cultura, Miami, Florida.
• 1989: Osuna Gallery, Washington, D.C.
• 1988: Galerie Minotauro, Caracas, Venezuela. (Featuring a critical exhibition prologue penned by prominent art critic Roberto Guevara).
• 1988: Obra Gráfica, Galerie du Dragon, Paris, France.
• 1987: Galerie du Dragon, Paris, France. (Featuring an analytical exhibition prologue written by the highly influential Martinican writer and poet Édouard Glissant).
• 1981: Meeting Point Gallery, Miami, Florida. (Featuring an exhibition prologue authored by Carlos M. Luis).
• 1976: Galerie Arta, Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1974: Galerie Arta, Geneva, Switzerland. (Featuring an introductory exhibition prologue by French writer Tony Duvert).
• 1973: Galerie Jeanne Castel, Paris, France.
• 1971: Galerie Jacques Desbrières, Paris, France. (A landmark exhibition featuring collaborative catalog texts by Roland Barthes, Severo Sarduy, and Bernard Noël).
• 1969: Alejandro, Galerie Maya, Brussels, Belgium. (His historic solo debut featuring a critical introductory prologue by renowned French philosopher and theorist Roland Barthes).
• 1968: Galerie Lambert, Paris, France. (Featuring an introductory exhibition prologue written by prominent French-American art critic Patrick Waldberg).
• 1967: Muestra Gráfica Latinoamericana, Rome, Italy.

This artist has participated in a multitude of collective exhibitions, including the following:

• 2026: Circular Reflections, Westchester Regional Library, Miami, Florida.
• 2025: Circular Reflections, St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida.
• 2016–2017: YUMMM! The History, Fantasy, and Future of Food, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland.
• 2001: New Art of Cuba, José Alonso Fine Arts Gallery, Miami, Florida.
• 1988: Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba, Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, Florida.
• 1988: Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba, Ponce Museum of Art, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
• 1987: Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba, Miami University Art Museum, Oxford, Ohio.
• 1987: Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba, Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art (MOCHA), New York City, New York.
• 1987: Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba, Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
• 1984: Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain (FIAC), Grand Palais, Paris, France.
• 1967: Mostra Grafica Latinoamericana, Istituto Italo Latinoamericano, Rome, Italy.
• 1965: Exposición de La Habana, Galería Latinoamericana, Casa de las Américas, Havana, Cuba.

• 2023: 80th Anniversary Homage, Latin Art Core, Miami, Florida. (Awarded a comprehensive retrospective and public tribute titled Elogio de los sentidos to celebrate his 80th birthday and lifelong impact on Latin American surrealism).
• 2020: “Hombres que Trascienden” Torch Distinction, Foundation of the Americas, Miami, Florida. (Formally recognized his multi-decade mastery, cultural preservation, and lasting community contribution to the global Cuban art diaspora).
• 1971–1972: The Cintas Foundation Fellowship, Cintas Foundation, New York, New York. (Twice awarded this highly competitive grant, recognizing exceptional creative talent in the visual arts for artists of Cuban descent living outside their homeland).
• 1969–1971: The Cintas Foundation Fellowship, Cintas Foundation, New York, New York.

• 2026: Catálogo: Reflexiones Circulares [Curaduría: Miguel Rodez]. InCUBAdora, March 24, 2026. https://www.in-cubadora.com/2026/03/24/catalogo-reflexiones-circulares-curaduria-miguel-rodez/. This Spanish-language article concisely summarizes the Cuban contemporary art documentation project, Circular Reflections, and includes the complete artist roster.
• 2025: Rodez, Miguel. Circular Reflections: Cuban Art Documentation Project. Miami Gardens, FL: St. Thomas University Press, 2025. Permanent collection, Miami-Dade Public Library System, Fine Arts Archive. (A comprehensive catalog featuring information about the 63 initial participants in Circular Reflections, including an analysis of the artist’s work, biographical information and curriculum highlights).
• 2023: DiazCasas, Rafael. In Praise of the Senses / Elogio de los sentidos. Miami: Latin Art Core. (A rich, biographical exhibition book and academic catalog mapping his lifelong artistic impact).
• 2006: L’Atelier des Brisants. Ramón Alejandro. Paris: L’Atelier des Brisants. (A comprehensive, multi-author volume and collection of critical essays entirely dedicated to analyzing his life and visual language).
• 2001: Veigas-Zamora, José. Memoria: Cuban Art of the 20th Century. Los Angeles: California/International Arts Foundation. (A foundational art history encyclopedia featuring a prominent segment outlining Alejandro’s career and visual contributions).
• 1999: Art Tribu’s. Ramon Alejandro, done in Paris. Paris: Art Tribu’s. (A specialized monograph detailing his 30-year artistic evolution during his historic Parisian period).

Literary Collaborations & Artist Books

• 1991: La Noche de la Iguana by Guillermo Cabrera Infante – Limited deluxe edition featuring original prints; published in Madrid/Miami.
• 1984: Le Sang des Rêves by Bernard Noël – Collaborative portfolio of poetry and lithographs; published in Paris, France.
• 1978: Eros dérisoire by Tony Duvert – Limited edition featuring original etchings by Ramón Alejandro; published in Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1974: Le Vol d’Icare by Raymond Queneau – Special illustrated luxury edition; published in Paris, France.
• 1970: La música de la mandrágora by Severo Sarduy – Featuring original graphics by Ramón Alejandro; published in Paris, France.

Key Literary Essays & Critical Commentary

• 2017: “Divinity in the Sunlight” Numéro Cinq Magazine (June 2017): A deep-dive retrospective article exploring the vibrant color theories, spiritual motifs, and tropical symbolism undergirding his paintings.
• 2007: Conte, Rafael. “Ramón Alejandro” Cuba Encuentro (January 2007): A critical cultural article exploring how Western literature (including the philosophies of Georges Bataille) seamlessly intersects with the artist’s hyper-sensual Caribbean perspective.
• 1989: Veigas-Zamora, José, ed. Outside Cuba / Fuera de Cuba: Contemporary Cuban Visual ArtistsNew Brunswick: Rutgers University: Published alongside the major traveling museum exhibition, this comprehensive resource maps his place as a leading master within the contemporary Cuban exile landscape.
• 1987: Glissant, Édouard. “Prologue to Galerie du Dragon Solo Exhibition” Galerie du Dragon Publication(May 1987): The highly influential Martinican writer and poet penned this analytical prologue evaluating Alejandro’s landmark solo showing in Paris.
• 1971: Barthes, Roland, Severo Sarduy, and Bernard Noël. “Critical Exhibition Texts” Galerie Jacques Desbrières Catalog (October 1971): A collaborative evaluation mapping the artist’s early studio transition and his engagement with French philosophical and avant-garde subversion.
• 1969: Barthes, Roland. “Exhibition Prologue to Galerie Maya Solo Debut” Galerie Maya Publication(November 1969): The renowned French philosopher and social theorist wrote this critical introductory essay tracking a major gallery disruption and analyzing Alejandro’s early aparatos motifs.
• 1950: Cabrera Infante, Guillermo. “The Open Papaya: An Offering of Love and Humor” Cultura Visual Iberoamericana (N.D.): The celebrated Cuban novelist wrote this widely cited critical essay about Alejandro, famously observing that the painter “opened the papaya that Wifredo Lam had always found closed… an offering of love and humor.”

Media & Documentaries

• Television and Public Broadcasting Profiles: Featured in regional cultural broadcasts and television programs tracking prominent Cuban-American voices, including profiles highlighting master fine artists working within the South Florida art scene.
• Exile Art Archives: Visual documentation and broadcast features mapping his relocation timeline, capturing the creative journeys of prominent exiled visual creators living and working in Miami.
• Video Interviews and Digital Retrospectives: Subject of filmic interviews and artist profiles detailing his 30-year studio trajectory in Paris, his transition to South Florida, and the evolving color methodologies behind his hyper-sensual tropical landscapes.

National Libraries & Specialized Graphic Archives

• Cabinet des Estampes, Bibliothèque Municipale d’Angers (Angers, France). (Preserving his specialized graphic works and limited-edition prints).
• Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Paris, France). (Holding his specialized graphic suites and collaborative artist books).
• Miami-Dade Public Library System Permanent Art Collection (Miami, Florida).

Institutional & Museum Collections

The original creations, large-format canvases, and technical portfolios of the artist are permanently preserved within the following public, academic, and private registries:

• Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (Paris, France).
• San Diego Museum of Art (San Diego, California).
• Art Museum of the Americas / Museum of the Organization of American States (Washington, D.C.).
• Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami (Coral Gables, Florida).
• Colección Blaisten (Mexico City, Mexico).
• Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (Miami, Florida).
• The CINTAS Foundation Collection (Miami, Florida).