But he was directed to avoid any references to Fidel Castro or reproductions of his likeness in the pages to be used. This prohibition gave the work a new layer of meaning, and it added a significant processual aspect: it was very difficult and laborious to find pieces of the newspaper without the omnipresent reference to Castro, even in the cultural section and the sports pages. Imagine also the censors unfolding the piece and painstakingly reviewing it. We can summarize, then, by saying that Prieto is a critical artist who does not “do” criticism: it emerges from the very context of his works. In conclusion and following the artist’s own impulse for synthesis, if I were to summarize Prieto’s work in a single formula, it would be “net idea+simple work=maximum meaning.” But, as in the work of Gabriel Orozco, there is always a visual sensibility in action. Sharp, mordant, and at the same time warm and understanding, Wilfredo Prieto specializes in summarizing the most complex issues with an illuminating stroke. This text was published in Art Nexus magazine issue no. 69 in 2008. Translated by Jorge Frisancho.
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