Hander Lara

Within the panorama of young Cuban artistic figures, Hander Lara Figueroa (Havana, 1984) is an indispensable creator. He graduated from the Superior Institute of Arts in 2009, and his name has been present in the most representative exhibitions of the contemporary production of the Island. The work of Lara depends on details, on the small fraction that represents people’s memory, and the imaginary structures that they build to survive. Cleanness and perfection in his creations refer to this interest in disrupting human reality and being placed on the domains of imagination. He is, undoubtedly, a devotee of well-down work, of technology’s virtues, of the creator’s know-how, whatever the art form he uses to express himself. Hence, photography, sculpture and painting are… only ways to raise longings, the pristine illusions of he who creates and observes.

 

EDUCATION

  • 2004 – 2009   Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana
  • 2008   Royal University College of Fine Arts (Kungl. Konsthögskolan), Stockholm
  • 1999 – 2003   San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts, Havana

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016

  • Conquistando el rostro de Dios, Galeano Gallery, Havana

2015

  • Don’t Play with History, Rubén Martínez Villena Gallery, Havana
  • Art in Theory, Collateral to the 12th Havana Biennial, Fortress San Carlos de La Cabaña, Havana

2014

  • Twice is Better than Once (With Tomás Lara), Instnärsgården Gallery, Jönköping, Sweden

2012

  • El lugar de todas las cosas, Collateral to the 11th Havana Biennial, Fortress San Carlos de La Cabaña, Havana

2011

  • Land-escapes, Rubén Martínez Villena Gallery, Havana

2009

  • 10 y 2, San Pancho Cultural Center, Nayarit, Mexico

2007

  • Más allá de apariencias, Plastic Arts and Design Provincial Center, Havana

2006

  • De historias cortas y grandes espacios, Collateral to the 9th Havana Biennial, Talía Gallery, Havana

2005

  • Cosmologías, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana

2003

  • Cuando la reflexión se torna forma, 23 y 12 Gallery, Havana

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2015

  • 2009 deriva 2013, Collateral to the 12th Havana Biennial, Félix Varela Center, Havana
  • Panorama, Mariano Rodríguez Gallery, Havana

2014

  • La muerte del último lobo (Salón de la Ciudad), Luz y Oficios Gallery, Havana
  • Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF), Deep Blue: Somewhere Deep Down Lies the Secret to a New Beginning. One Minute Series, Kópavogslaug, Vesturbaejarlaug, Iceland
  • Habitar, construir, pensar: perspectivas discursivas y poéticas en el videoarte contemporáneo cubano (1990-2010), Contemporary Creation Center, Cadiz, Spain
  • Tres partes para un diálogo, Espacio Abierto Gallery, Havana

2013

  • Post it, Collage Habana Gallery, Havana
  • Statements, Cuba Pavilion, Havana
  • Art on Paper + 1, ARTBRUSSELS, White Hotel, Brussels
  • Bienal La Vasija 2013, Hispano American Culture Center, Havana
  • OK Biennale Cuvée, OK Center for Contemporary Art, Linz
  • Habitar, construir, pensar: perspectivas discursivas y poéticas en el videoarte contemporáneo cubano (1990-2010), Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa

2012

  • Subjetiva, Culture House of Plaza, Havana
  • Luz a tu propia química V, Fototeca de Cuba, Havana
  • Pensando desde el paisaje, Osvaldo Guayasamín Gallery, Havana
  • Habitar, construir, pensar: perspectivas discursivas y poéticas en el videoarte contemporáneo cubano (1990-2010), Cultural Center, Miami
  • Artfulling Uniting Extraordinary. Cuban Artworks with Extraordinary Life, Paribas Fortis, Brussels

2011

  • Pink Noise, La Moderna Gallery, Havana
  • Ya sé leer. Imagen y texto en el arte latinoamericano, Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana
  • Habitar, construir, pensar: perspectivas discursivas y poéticas en el videoarte contemporáneo cubano (1990-2010), Carleton College, Minnesota
  • ARTMADRID, Madrid

2010

  • Vista hace fe, San Alejandro Gallery, Havana
  • Luz a tu propia química III, Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, Havana
  • El extremo de la bala: una década de arte cubano, Cuba Pavilion, Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS), Havana
  • Opción múltiple. Arte cubano contemporáneo, Benito Juárez International Airport, Mexico D. F.
  • Entrelazando culturas. Arte y moda, National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana
  • Opción múltiple. Arte cubano contemporáneo, San Juan Art Foundation, Guadalajara, Mexico

2009

  • Negro es un color, San Juan Art Foundation, Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Build In, Collateral to the 10th Havana Biennial, Servando Gallery, Havana
  • Cambio y fuera, Collateral to the 10th Havana Biennial, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana

2008

  • Isla in continente. Arte cubano contemporáneo, Tegucigalpa Central American Biennial, Fundarte National Art Gallery, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
  • XIX Salón de arte, Katzen Museum, Washington D. C.
  • V Salón de Arte Cubano Contemporáneo (SACC), Center for the Development of Visual Arts (CDAV), Havana
  • Glocalizados, Rafael Taveras Gallery, Tunja, Colombia
  • Arboleda. El cuerpo es cuerpos, Jesús Gallardo Gallery, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
  • Toma 9, Center for the Development of Visual Arts (CDAV), Havana
  • Stalker, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana
  • ABC Evento Internacional de Performance y Audiovisuales, Poetry House, Havana

2007

  • Lazos a la mar, Netherlands Embassy, La Habana
  • The One Minute Belgianopen, Amsterdam; Belgianopen, Ghent, Belgium
  • Expo de artistas cubanos, Guanajuato Gallery, León, Guanajuato, Mexico
  • IX Salón de arte digital, Pablo de la Torriente Brau Center, Havana
  • Situación construida, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana
  • Cabeza de vena, la muestra de videoarte, maniobra, intervenciones y performances, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana
  • Travelling. Realidad y ficción (Performance and Audiovisuals International Event), Actualidades Cinema, La Habana

2006

  • H2Oro, Poetry House, Havana
  • Salón de la Ciudad, Collateral to the 9th Havana Biennial, Plastic Arts and Design Provincial Center, Havana
  • Tirar y tirar bien, Collateral to the 9th Havana Biennial, Nuevo Vedado, Havana
  • IX en la carpintería, Collateral to the 9th Havana Biennial, Superior Institute of Art (ISA), Havana
  • Escultura transeúnte, Collateral to the 9th Havana Biennial, Taller del Consejo Asesor para el Desarrollo de la Escultura Monumental Ambiental (CODEMA), Havana

2005

  • V Salón de instalaciones Juan Francisco Elso, Mariano Rodríguez Gallery, Havana
  • SIZE: XXL, Mariano Rodríguez Gallery, Havana

2003

  • Naturarte, Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana
  • Naturarte, Viñales Valley, Pinar del Río, Cuba

2001

  • Académica 2001, Poetry House, Havana

2000

  • XII Salón Mirta Cerra, Mirta Cerra Gallery, Havana
  • Salón de Verano, Bejucal Gallery, Havana

 

MEMBERSHIP

2009

  • Professor, Superior Institute of Art (ISA)
  • Member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC)

 

AWARDS

2008

  • Scholarship Royal University College of Fine Arts (Kungl. Konsthögskolan), Stockholm

 

COLLECTIONS

  • The One Minute Belgianopen, Belgium
  • Arte San Juan Foundation, Mexico
  • Germany Embassy, Havana
  • CubaPlus, Canada – Cuba
  • CdeCuba, Spain
  • Rainhart Collection, Belgium
  • Avistamientos Collection, Havana
  • Lori Hall Collection, New York

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Padrón, Luis Enrique. And, before departing, God warned Noah: “Don’t Play with History.” http://www.cubartecontemporaneo.com/review/and-departing-god-warned-noah-dont-play-history/, 2015.

Ramos Ruiz, Gabriela. Notes for a New Art Theory. http://www.cubartecontemporaneo.com/review/notes-art-theory/, 2015.

“Colección Arte Cubano Contemporáneo.” CubaPlus. Catalogue. Havana: 2014.

Vogel, Sabine B. “Hander Lara – Building illusions.” OK Biennale Cuvée 2013. Catalogue. Miami: 2013.

Alonso, Maylin. “Hander Lara en la Bienal de Austria.” Noticias de Artecubano No. 1 (Havana, 2013).

Artfulling Uniting Extraordinary. Cuban Artworks with Extraordinary Life. Lisbon: Rainhart Do Mart Art, 2012.

“El lugar de todas las cosas. Muestra personal de Hander Lara.” Noticias de Artecubano No. 2 (Havana, 2012).

Rodríguez Tejuca, Celia. “Divagaciones mentales a propósito de Land-escapes.” Noticias de Artecubano No. 10/11 (Havana, 2011).

Riol Hernández, Rubens. “Nowhere: una vida en otra parte.” Noticias de Artecubano No. 10/11 (Havana, 2011)

Rodríquez, Ilsa. “Espacios de deseo.” 55 Minutos No. 1. Havana: Taina Communications Ltd, 2011.

Ya sé leer. Imagen y texto en el Arte Latinoamericano. Catalogue. Havana: Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, April-May, 2011.

El extremo de la bala: una década de arte cubano. Havana: Hermanos Saíz Associations (AHS), 2010.

Caballero, Rufo. “La sangre fresca pone la cabeza mala.” Artecubano No. 1 (Havana, 2009).

Rosa Castro, Elvia. “Palabras cálidas en texto explayado.” Noticias de Artecubano No. 1 (Havana, 2008).

Herrera Isla, Nelson. “Imaginación, sueños, visiones.” Cuba y Europa. Visiones. Catalogue. Havana: Arte de la Unión Europea, 2007.

Ferrer Raveiro, Estela. “Hander Lara: Toda obra de arte es política.” El Caimán Barbudo. http://www.caimanbarbudo.cu/entrevistas/2012/05/toda-obra-de-arte-es-politica

Ferrer Raveiro, Estela. “Noviembre Fotográfico en Havana.” Oncuba Magazine. http://www.oncubamagazine.com/content/noviembre-enlahabana-5