José Manuel Villa Castillo

Articleissues
cleanup=March 2008
orphan=December 2007
wikify=March 2008
copyedit=March 2008

The Artist

"José Manuel Villa Castillo" was born in, Las Villas, Cuba, in December 23, 1939. He resided in Havana, Cuba. He develops the Graphic Design, Scenographic Design, Interior Design, Drawing, Illustrations, Painting, Engraving. In 1957 he studied Publicity and Commercial Drawing, in Havana, Cuba.Since 1957 to 1959 he was Designer of shop windows. "Flogar," "Belinda," and "Roseland" department stores, in Havana, Cuba.In 1964 he was the Graphic designer of [Cuban Pavilion] . World Expo, Montreal, Canada.

Individual Exhibitions

In 1960 he presented "José Manuel", in Galería Habana, Arte y Cinema La Rampa, Havana, Cuba.

Collective Exhibitions

in 1956 he was part of the "Pintores y Escultores Noveles", in the Lyceum, Havana, Cuba. He also participated in the I(1962), II (1964), III (1965), and IV (1966) Salón Nacional de Carteles Cubanos, in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba. In 1969 he was included in the "Cuba à Grenoble", Maison de la Culture de Grenoble, in Grenoble, France. In 1970 some of his works were selected to conform the 3rd International Poster Biennale Warsaw 1970. Galeria Zaçheta, in Warsaw, Poland. In 1985 he was included in the Lahti VI Poster Biennale, Lahti Art Museum, Lahti, Finland. And in 1986 he was one of the selected artist for XII Biennale of Graphic Design Brno 1986. The Moravian Gallery, Brno, Czechoslovakia.

Awards

During his life he had obtained many awards, among them we can quote in 1966 the Second Prize. Cultural Poster, in the 4º Salón Nacional de Carteles Cubanos, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, in Havana, Cuba. In 1971 he gained the Gold Medal in the (Feria Internacional del Libro. IBA), Leipzig, G.D.R. In 1973 he obtained the Silver Medal (shared). (International Book Art Fair - IBA), in Leipzig, G.D.R. and in 1994 he was recognized with the Order Por la Cultura Nacional, Consejo de Estado, Republic of Cuba.

Collections

His works can be found formed part of important collection such as Biblioteca Nacional "José Martí" in Havana, Cuba; Casa de las Américas, in Havana, Cuba; of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba; and in the Museum der Bildende Kunst (Book Art Collection), Leipzig, Germany.

cenographies and works in public places

In made in 1978 the scenography and atmosphere of the "Los Sobrevivientes" directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea. In 1983 he made the scenography and atmosphere of "Hasta Cierto Punto" from the same director. Also made in 1989 the Head of the Atmosphere Staff of the Hotel Tuxpán, in Varadero, Matanzas, Cuba. In the Hotel Neptuno he made the Design of atmosphere and graffito mural, Havana, Cuba. And in 1995 he made the Artistic atmosphere in the Hotel Meliá Cohiba, in Havana, Cuba.

References

* Jose Veigas-Zamora, Cristina Vives Gutierrez, Adolfo V. Nodal, Valia Garzon, Dannys Montes de Oca; Memoria: Cuban Art of the 20th Century; (California/International Arts Foundation 2001); ISBN 9780917571114
* Jose Viegas; Memoria: Artes Visuales Cubanas Del Siglo Xx; (California International Arts 2004); ISBN 9780917571121 es icon