FREDY VILLAMIL presents
Echoes of a Dreaming Muse
BIOGRAPHY
Fredy Villamil (b. 1980, San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba) is a prominent contemporary artist whose work is a powerful exploration of human emotions. His art is strong and richly expressive, with color playing a central role in conveying profound emotional depth. Through his innovative use of form and hue, Villamil has developed a distinctive visual language, one that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.
The son of a celebrated Cuban painter, Villamil grew up surrounded by the artistic elite in his father’s studio. It was here that he first absorbed the techniques of Cuba’s best artists. However, as a young adult, he rebelled against traditional artistic conventions, channeling his passion into political cartooning. In this medium, he vividly portrayed the social injustices he witnessed in Cuba.
Villamil became a U.S. citizen in 2016, and his American Flag series emerged from his newfound love for his adopted country. He has held over 25 solo exhibitions and 63 group shows in Cuba and internationally, including Mexico, the U.S., Turkey, and China. Villamil has been showcased in the 2011 Museum Coral Gables Collective Show and 2015 Art Basel. In 2016, Villamil’s work was muraled in the JFK Library. His accolades include 26 international awards, 23 national honors, and the prestigious Palm Art Award in 2020.
Fredy’s art continues to evolve, blending traditional techniques with contemporary sensibilities. Gazing into Villamil’s paintings is metaphorically akin to tumbling through Lewis Carroll’s literary rabbit hole and finding oneself,
magically, within Alice’s storied Wonderland. His uniquely imaginative and deeply inventive pieces solidify his place as a leading figure in the global art world.
His latest collection is a poetic dance between classic themes and contemporary worlds; beautifully capturing the dialogue between them and creating an enriched narrative.
“Echoes of a Dreaming Muse captures the profound resonance of intangible inspiration, like the whisper of a muse guiding the creator through the realms of reality and imagination. It is a poetic exploration of how dreams transform into art, capturing fragments of light, memory, and emotion. In this concept, the echo is not merely a reflection but a bridge connecting the desire to create with the transcendence of the eternal.”
– Fredy Villamil
It is my distinct pleasure to introduce Fredy Villamil’s show, “Echoes of a Dreaming Muse”. Fredy is an artist whose vision not only sets him apart in the contemporary art world, but also establishes him as one of the most exciting voices of this generation. What makes his work so exceptional and important in the art world today is his unique ability to reference the great masters, while still carving out of space entirely his own. In ‘Echoes of a Dreaming Muse’, he draws inspiration from two of the most influential figures in the history of art: Diego Velazquez and Pablo Picasso. What is so remarkable about Fredy’s work in this exhibition is that he brings these influences into the contemporary moment, using them as spring boards to create something entirely fresh and unique. Fredy Villamil is a rising star.
The Ladies in the Crimson Armchair 78x78
“The chair is the threshold between movement and stillness, a place where the body rests while the mind still wanders”
The Girl of the Golden Proposal
Menina in Blue 48x48
Menina IV 40x40
Menina III 40x40
“Each stroke, each detail, carries a piece of my soul, reflecting the passion and commitment I’ve poured into this masterpiece.”
Menina II 72x60
Memories of Forgetting
90x90
“The shadow emits the greatest amount of light we need to become stronger.”
“The woman, like fire, burns with intensity...”
“…she transforms everything in her path, gives light or consumes, but never stops shining.”
The Secret of the Cherries
“Working in the background of this artwork, I find myself deeply captivated by its process since our first encounter. Each stroke, each detail, intensifies my appreciation and commitment, turning each day into an opportunity to deepen my connection and understanding of this creation.”
Between Now and Forever 46x64
20x20
The Little Queen of Crimson
“Art is the tangible manifestation of the intangible, an eternal dance between the creator and the creation that unveils the depths of the soul and the very essence of humanity.”
Ethereal Love 60x78
Our Wine 36x30
By the Light 36x30
Green 78x78
Advice 78x78
The Poet 48x36
“The true function of art is not to copy reality…” “…but to reveal what reality hides.”
Lives in the Toast 60x60
Three Lives, Three Flowers, One Dialogue
Bride
Menina Statue 23x17
The Fiancée 24x20
“My work navigates between two worlds: the ancient and the contemporary. I base my approach on a constant reinterpretation of classic themes from the 17th century, merging them with my current vision. This dialogue between times creates a conceptual bridge, where the narratives of the past are renewed and enriched with the sensitivity of our present.”
Voices of the Past, Rhythms of the Future 78x82
The Seeker of the Future 24x20
Reflections of an Artist 40x30
“Art is the only way to transcend mortality; we depart, but our creations remain, immortalizing us”
My Inner Self 20x16
Words that Cut the Wind 20x16
EXHIBITIONS
• 2019 Saō Paulo Felix Gonzales Torres CardStock Artistic Presentation • 2019 Asian Art Olympic, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum • 2019 Exhibition
3rd Biennial of Art of Barcelona Museum of Modern art. • 2019 Launch of the art book Fredy Villamil • 2018 Art Basel Scope with Onessimo Fine Art • 2017 Personal exhibition Onessimo fine art • 2016-2017 Mural in the library JF Kennedy • 2016 Black and White Milander Center • 2016 Expressions Milander Center • 2015 Art Bassel • 2015 Paintings in the Garden of the Arts Hialeah • 2014 Art Basel Spectrum • 2014 Exhibition Frontal Profiles Milander Center • 2013 Art Basel Spectrum • 2013
Carteles Miami Award • 2013 Keila Milander's Dream Exhibition Center of Art • 2012 Art Basel Spectrum • 2012 Museum Coral Gables Collective Show • 2011 Main Street Exhibition- Ariguanabo • 2011 Personal Exhibition at Steinhausen Gallery • XI National Exhibition of humor and satire. 2010 Museum of Humor San Antonio de los Banos / HAVANA, CUBA. • Recognition of Cuban Cultural Fund subsidiary granted the Havana Province to Fredy Villamil Presented by works in my Havana VI elegant room. • National Exhibition of Graphic Humor. San Antonio de los Baños, Havana, Cuba, the weekly abril/2008. • Recognition CubaCarta Music Festival VI Cine Casino San Antonio de los Baños. Havana, Cuba • Mention works: Defense and shouted to the Paz. IV Hall January 28, 2006, Cattle Art Center, Havana, Cuba • Mention works. IX National Hall of Humor and Satire, Humor Museum, San Antonio de los Baños. Havana, Cuba, Joint Special 2006.
