West Harlem Art Fund Will Host DREAMSCAPING IN A FOOL'S PARADISE This Weekend On Governors Island

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.

Although an artist-painter by trade, he grew up in Cuba in a vibrant musical atmosphere, surrounded by musicians and musicologists. His great grandfather was Obdulio Villa (nick named Pabellón), one of the most famous saxophonists of the 1920's, who played worldwide with Moises Simon's band, composer of the internationally known song "The Peanut Vendor."

Dancing came hand in hand with this native musical education, which was a part of any and all social gatherings. Carlos learned to dance to traditional Cuban music (danzon, son, chachachá, etc.) from his Grandparents. Later he dedicated himself to the study of the theory and history of Cuban music, and participated in lectures, discussions, and performances held by UNEAC (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) with leading musicologists such as Helio Orovio, author of the "Encyclopedia of Cuban Music".

In NY, Carlos has danced with a number of local dance groups like Team Timba, lead by Karim Noak and companies as Areytos Performance Group lead by Sita Frederick. Also served as a consultant for Sita Frederick's theatrical production "What Do You Dance On?".

Teaching dance and musicology workshops at The University of Massachusetts, You Should Be Dancing Studio, at Harbor Conservatory of Music, American Museum of Natural History, Alvin Ailey as a guest fine artist and dancer of Oyu Oro Afro Cuban Experimental Dance Ensemble lead by Danys Perez "La Mora". He was at The NY Salsa Congress 2012 representing The Roots of Salsa lead by the Dancer and Choreographer Maykel Fonts.

In 2015 Carlos founded his performance group Herencia D' Cuba and the same year the group won the second prize at Concurso Folclórico Latinoamericano sponsored by Desfile de La Hispanidad. In 2016 Carlos and his group were invited to perform and teach in Havana for the Cuban Dance Fest. organized by La Casa del Son and also at Teatro Gaia Anniversary.

Dreamscaping in a Fool's Paradise opens Saturday, August 17, 2024 from 12pm - 4 pm in Nolan Park, Building 10B on Governors Island.