Hugo Azcuy Castillo

° 1972 in Havana, Cuba

Studied Fine Arts at the Academia de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, Havana, Cuba.

Pioneer of the Street Art and Urban Art in Cuba.

Lives and works in Belgium, Ghent.

Often a work of art is the expression of a healing process, a transformation of the artist himself. If the artist has gone through this process and is able to pour positive, healing energies into his work then the work of art can contribute to the healing process of the spectator bringing more peace, harmony, balance and joy to the place where the work of art is being exposed. This however presupposes a different way of looking on behalf of the viewer: He needs to look with his heart.

Hugo was born with colours in his hands; he transforms colours into poetry and difficult experiences in optimistic works, full of light. Both his paintings and his graphics reflect his ability to play with colours. His work shows a sharp emotional intelligence, it radiates a positive vibe and fills the space with a dynamic yet harmonizing energy.

He has a strong and original style, and even though he is academically trained, he never compromised with trends in the art world. He decided to follow his heart and his intuition.

"My goal is to make paintings that heal, that provide good energy, and give joy to the people that are watching them.

I want to show the beautiful side of life and what the physical eyes cannot see.

I am inspired by nature - what it shows and gives me - my dreams, my personal experiences, the literary and philosophical works that I read, music that touches me.

In my work I want to go into the interior of things, showing the spirit of all that lives and all that is, seen and unseen, what is below and what is above, and invite the viewer to join me on this exploratory trip"

During his first years at the Art School of Havana he already entered the Cuban art scene. At the age of 12-14 years he participated in various collective exhibitions and his drawings were published in cultural magazines and newspapers.  At the age of 15 he joined the GRUPO ARTE CALLE (Street Art Group), pioneers of street and urban art in Cuba. He was a very active member, participating in public interventions, performances, murals, action paintings and exhibiting at renown galleries in Havana. The GRUPO ARTE CALLE marked a milestone in the history of Cuban art at the end of the eighties, and was of great influence to the upcoming generations of artists. Their artistic interventions had a major impact on the history of Cuban art. “OJO PINTA” and “EL HOMBRE DE S.A” in 1988 and “NUEVE ALQUIMISTAS Y UN CIEGO” in 1989 are just three examples of exhibitions in which the group showed its unwillingness to conform to what according to various cultural institutions   was supposed to be the most relevant Cuban art at that time.  

Hugo won several awards and his works were shown in exhibitions around the world. He has a varied oeuvre of paintings, graphics and 'xilopinturas', a special technique that he created in the 90s from the interplay of graphics and painting.

He has also done several projects with children and young people in Cuba and in Belgium, including in the St. Bernadette District in Ghent, commissioned by Nucleo and SMAK, (Museum of Contemporary Art), in the city of Ronse and the Steiner schools of Bruges and Leuven.

For more info please have a look at:  

Instagram:

hugo.a.c.arte   (A journey through my artistic career from the beginning to the present) (Only some selection of works)  

hugo.a.c.insidetheartstudio   (My art work inside the art studio. Work in progress)

hugo.a.c.dailylife  (Social )

Galleries and sales:  azcuyhugohac@gmail.com

Telf:  0032/ (0)472 25 23 97                                                                                     

Contact:  Gina Janssens 0032/ (0)494 79 32 40