Circular Reflections

Alberto Carol’s paintings offer luminous, intense excavations of memory, identity, and the inner self. His canvases act as psychological thresholds where time appears suspended, forcing an intimate confrontation between the viewer and the piercing gaze of his subjects. While his formal approach reflects the rigorous academic discipline of his Havana roots, Carol’s narrative extends far beyond a singular cultural experience. Through masterfully polished layers of acrylic, vibrant tonal shifts, and a meticulous rendering of light, his work transforms individual portraiture into a universal meditation on the broader human condition. His figures stand as timeless, cross-cultural symbols of resilience, isolating the shared emotional gravity and enduring dignity that unite us across borders.

Academic Foundations & Pedagogy: Born in Havana, Cuba, on June 20, 1945. He initiated his higher visual arts development at the specialized National School of Art (Escuela Nacional de Arte – ENA) in Havana, completing a rigorous studio curriculum and graduating with a Major in Painting in 1968. Following his graduation, he built an extensive pedagogical track, operating as a Professor of Drawing at the prestigious San Alejandro Fine Arts Academy between 1979 and 1984.

Institutional Service & Parallel Disciplines: His leadership within institutional fine art structures inside Cuba includes his professional appointment to the Ministry of Culture, where he served as a National Advisor for the Plastic Arts and Artistic Education. His parallel tracks span printmaking, graphic serigraph campaigns with cultural hubs like Casa de las Américas, and design consulting.

Exile, Translocation & Relocations: Tracking his chronological path out of Cuba, he transitioned his career through Western Europe during the early 1990s, orchestrating major exhibition showcases in Madrid, Spain, and Geneva, Switzerland. He officially translocated his creative base to the United States in the spring of 1995, permanently anchoring his migration milestones within the South Florida contemporary art scene.

Current Status: He lives and works as a full-time professional painter from his permanent home studio workspace in Miami, Florida. From this domestic base, he maintains an active profile in municipal civic circles, local curation projects, and premium international private registries.

• 1979–1984: Professor of Drawing, San Alejandro Fine Arts Academy (Academia de Bellas Artes San Alejandro), Havana, Cuba.
• 1971: Professor of Perception, School of Industrial Design (Oficina Nacional de Diseño Industrial – ONDI), Havana, Cuba.
• 1979: National Advisor for Plastic Arts and Artistic Education, Ministry of Culture, Havana, Cuba.

• Retratos de la Mirada (Portraits of the Gaze): Monumental, hyper-realistic portrait compositions prioritizing deep psychological execution, intense eye contact, and suspended temporal horizons.
• The Duchampian Dialogues: Conceptual paintings reinterpreting Marcel Duchamp’s anti-retinal historical icons through highly disciplined, masterfully traditional fine art painting techniques.
• The Crossportraits Series (Warhol & Kahlo): Surrealist, hybrid portrait structures exploring visual dualities, shared historical vulnerabilities, and chronic illness.
• Hyperrealistic Botanical Studies: Meticulously rendered explorations of native tropical flora, emphasizing the structural tension between organic vitality and natural decay.

This artist has participated in a multitude of solo exhibitions, including these:

• 2021: Portraits of Gaze, Galleria Ca’ d’Oro, New York, NY / Miami, FL, USA.
• 2009: Portraits of Nature, Longstreth & Goldberg Gallery, Naples, FL, USA.
• 2004: Alberto Carol: Recent Canvases, Sande García Fine Arts, Miami, FL.
• 1997–1998: The Calm and the Fury, Virginia Miller Galleries, Coral Gables, FL.
• 1992: Individual Survey, Europ’Art International Art Fair, Geneva, Switzerland.
• 1991: Trópico, Heller Galería de Arte, Madrid, Spain.
• 1982–1986: Puro Trópico: A Decade Retrospective, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba.

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

• 2026: Circular Reflections, Westchester Regional Library, Miami, Florida, USA.
• 2025: Circular Reflections: Preview & Collection Staging, St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida, USA.
• 2019–2022: The World of Frida, National Touring Museum Exhibition, USA Circuit.
• 2019: 53rd Founders Juried Awards Exhibition, Naples Art Association at The Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL, USA.
• 2019: Dealing with Reality, Favalora Archive Museum, Miami, FL, USA.
• 2019: ArtFields, Lake City Public Exhibition Spaces, Lake City, SC, USA.
• 1990: Salón de Artes Plásticas “UNEAC ’90”, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba.
• 1984–1986: First and Third Havana Biennial, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam, Havana, Cuba.
• 1968: XXIVe. Salon de Mai, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France.

• 2023: Mark Davis Memorial Award, Río Brazos Art Exhibition, Granbury, TX, USA.
• 2021: 1st Place, The Art of the Heartland, Mena, AR, USA.
• 2020: The Fine Art Connoisseur Award of Excellence, 4th ANJE, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI, USA.
• 2018: 1st Place, The 52nd Founders Art Exhibition, Naples, FL, USA.
• 2015: 1st Prize, The Art of Power, Art Exhibeo, Montreal, Canada.
• 2004: Certificate of Appreciation, Mayor’s Office, Miami-Dade County, Miami, FL.
• 1998: Keys to the City of Miami, Office of the Mayor and City Commission, Miami, FL, USA. (Civic distinction honoring international artistic contributions).
• 1985: First Prize in Drawing, Contest “13 de Marzo”, Galería L, Havana, Cuba.
• 1985: Diploma of Outstanding Artist, National Fine Arts Directorate, Havana, Cuba.
• 1984: UNESCO Fine Arts Prize, Award from the City of Havana & Award from the University of Havana, 1st Havana Biennial, Pabellón Cuba, Havana, Cuba.
• 1980: Honorable Mention in Painting, Salón de Julio, jointly awarded by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba and Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts, Cuba.
• 1968: Co-Winner of the “Adam Montparnasse Award” (Collective), XXIVe. Salon de Mai, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France.

• 2026: Catálogo: Reflexiones Circulares [Curaduría: Miguel Rodez]. InCUBAdora, March 24, 2026. This article – written in Spanish – provides a concise description of the Circular Reflections project and includes the full participating artists list.
• 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).
• 2022: Bedford, Carrie. The World of Frida: A Contemporary Celebration. San Francisco: Bedford Press, 2022. A museum touring registry cataloging the placement of Carol’s hybrid surrealist portrait layouts within global identity surveys.
• 2014: Carol, Alberto Jorge. “The Art of Carlos Luna.” In Carlos Luna: A Book of Days, edited by Carol Cheh. Miami: Private Press, 2014. An analytical studio evaluation and published essay written by the artist unpacking structural identity in contemporary Latin American art.
• 2012: O’Connor, John A. & Mallory M. “Alberto Jorge Carol’s Suite Duchamp.” Miami, 2012.
• 1995: Blanc, Giulio V. “The Cuban Diaspora Circuit.” The Giulio V. Blanc Fine Arts Registry (Smithsonian Institution, Series 3): A collection of independent critical reviews, physical catalogs, and personal letters tracking the artist’s initial translocation from Europe to South Florida.
• 1992: Lastra, Luis. “Trópico.” Miami, 1992.
• 1991: Campoy, A. M. “Trópico.” Madrid, 1991.
• 1982: Wood, Yolanda. Alberto Carol: Pinturas y Dibujos (Década Retrospectiva). Havana: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, 1982. The foundational monograph and state museum catalog analyzing his formal draftsmanship and academic evolution inside the Cuban neofigurative movement.

• Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (Paris, France).
• The Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami (Coral Gables, Florida).
• The Favalora Archive Museum Collection (Miami, Florida).
• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Havana, Cuba).
• International Private Collections (United States / Latin America / Western Europe).