ABEL BARROSO

Abel Barroso
b. Pinar del Río, Cuba, 1971; resides in Havana, Cuba
Home
2011
Wood and ink
Collection of Susie and Mitchell Rice
Abel Barroso studied at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana. Part of the 1990s generation of Cuban artists, Barroso is known internationally for merging printmaking and sculpture in his humorous and biting commentaries. His concerns extend beyond Cuba as he addresses the global issue of migration and its social implications and costs.
In Home, Barroso addresses the trauma of displacement and migration using the backpack as a symbol for the concept of ‘home’ as an extension of both psyche and body. The migrant’s backpack holds the past, present, and future―the means of survival, the guides to reach the next destination, and the mementos of life left behind.
This work exemplifies Barroso's signature integration of sculpture and meticulous woodcutting techniques.
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*This piece was included in the exhibition section titled "The Great Journey: Archives"
