Augustin CARDENAS
1927–2001, Cuba
Also known as: AC, Alfonso
Agustín Cárdenas Alfonso was born in Matanzas, a major port in the sugar industry. In Cuba, Cárdenas studied under Juan José Sicre, and from 1943 to 1949 at Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes “San Alejandro” in Havana.
He was a member of Asociación de Grabadores de Cuba (AGC) from 1951 to 1955, and of the creative group Los Once from 1953 to 1955. Cárdenas' work was exhibited several times in 1952 "Pintura Ávila Escultura Cárdenas" at "Palacio de los Trabajadores" in Havana, and in 1955 he exhibited a selection of his pieces in "Agustín Cárdenas: 20 esculturas" at the "Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana". He settled in Paris in 1955 and in 1957 integrated himself in the Surrealist movement there. His work incorporated aspects of his African heritage and of Dogon totems. In 1987, his work in was in the Corea Gallery, Seoul, South Korea. In 1993, his work was exhibited in "Agustín Cárdenas" in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana and in 2002, Cárdenas work was presented in "Desires and Grace" at the Haim Chanin Fine Arts Gallery in New York City. Cárdenas also took part in many collective exhibitions such as the IV Exposición Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado at the Centro Asturiano in Havana, Cuba in 1950. Ten years later in 1960 at the "Exposition Internationale du Surréalisme Eros" at the Galerie Daniel Cordier in Paris, France. He participated in the II Bienal Internacional de la Pequeña Escultura in 1973 in Budapest, Hungary and in 2000, of the exhibition of Abstract Art "Tono a Tono" in the Salón de la Solidaridadin the Hotel Habana Libre in Havana, Cuba. Cárdenas has been awarded with several distinctions during his life, including Segundo Premio VI Salón Nacional de Pintura y Escultura, Salones del Capitolio Nacional, Havana, by the Cuban government (1953) and the Silver Medal XXXVII, Salón de Bellas Artes, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Havana (1955). In 1976, he was awarded with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France and the Fujisankey Biennal Prize at the Hakone Open Air Museum, Fujisankey, Japan.
Also in 1995 he received Premio Nacional de Artes Plásticas by the Cuban Ministry of Culture.
Source: http://www.whowaswho.an/directory/listing.php?id=202