Retrospective of Leading Cuban Artist Now Showing at Foosaner Art Museum

Adam Lowenstein January 11, 2016

Features more than 50 Works of Francisco Gordillo Arredondo Baba Oñi

MELBOURNE, FLA. — Caminos Transitados/Paths Taken: A Retrospective of Francisco Gordillo Arredondo Baba Oñi, a new exhibition mounted exclusively at Florida Institute of Technology’s Foosaner Art Museum, opens Saturday, Jan. 16.

The exhibition of more than 50 paintings and mixed-media works from the Cuban-born artist’s 25-year career is curated by Florida Tech’s Director of University Museums, Carla Funk. It closes March 13.

Known as Gordillo, his work straddles two worlds: the contemporary art market, and Cuba’s subterranean mysticism. A priest initiated into the Afro-Cuban religion of Santería in addition to a highly skilled and internationally acclaimed artist, Gordillo paints a personal vision of his Congo and Yoruba inheritance. His paintings embody a mythology that simultaneously divulges and celebrates the island’s rich African spiritual legacy.

Born in 1964, Gordillo graduated from Havana’s famous San Alejandro Art Academy in 1988. Since then, his work has been included in numerous group and individual exhibitions in Latin America, Europe and Canada. The Foosaner exhibition is his first retrospective.

Gordillo will be an artist in residence at the museum throughout January.

There are several programs related to this exhibition, as well.

“Afrocuban Painting,” a lecture by Alejandro de la Fuente, Ph.D, Robert Woods Bliss Professor of Latin American History and Economics and Director, Afro-Latin American Research Institute, Harvard University. 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, Harris Community Auditorium at Foosaner Art Museum. Free.
Papermaking + Gallery Walk with Francisco Gordillo, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, Renee Foosaner Education Center, Eau Gallie Arts District, Melbourne. Tickets $10 per person and include one cocktail ticket.
Gallery Walk with Francisco Gordillo, 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, Foosaner Art Museum. Free.

For more information on the exhibition or related events, please visit www.foosanerartmuseum.org or call 321-674-8916.

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