A video sketch directed and produced by Franck de las Mercedes
Carlos Mateu, born and raised in Havana, Cuba, has been inspired by a rich culture of art and music since childhood. He studied fine arts at the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Art in Havana, and worked as an artist and designer of international exhibitions. Since coming to the US in 1997, he has exhibited his art extensively, and also works as a graphic designer. He was commissioned to produce a series of murals, paintings and logos for schools, private business and various popular restaurants in NYC like Guantanamera, Toloache, Cuba, Café Cortadito, Havana ”Alma de Cuba,” and Agozár, etc. He calls his style geometric pop. His paintings fuse elements of cubism with realism, using straight lines and perspective to create a geometric and three-dimensional effect, while subtly deforming the images. Intense colors of acrylic are applied in layers like silkscreen, creating clean and precise divisions between tones, textured further with oil pastel. His subject matter incorporates surrealism and mysticism to reflect the Afro Cuban life and religions, memories of Cuba, his life in the United States and his own creative perspective on the world around him.
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