Marco A. Castillo

Born in Havana, Cuba in 1971, Marco A. Castillo is a founding member of the collective Los Carpinteros, established in 1992 in Havana. Rejecting individual authorship, the group explores the relationship between architecture, design, and art. Castillo's artwork and installations reflect his observation of everyday materials, which he experiments with to investigate the connection between the functional and non-functional, as well as between art and society.

Although Los Carpinteros has achieved significant international recognition, Castillo has also received acclaim for his individual work. His solo career has focused on questioning aesthetic expectations and biases by exploring the intersection between fine arts, applied arts, and decorative arts. Castillo often employs modernist and Soviet designs and merges them with Cuban tradition, using techniques like latticework and materials like mahogany. His pieces frequently pay homage to prominent modern Cuban architects and designers who are often forgotten.

Castillo currently lives and works in both Havana, Cuba and Madrid, Spain. Recent solo exhibitions include "Propriedad del estado" at Nara Roesler (2021) in São Paulo, Brazil, "The Decorator's Home" at UTA Artist Space (2019) in Los Angeles, USA, "El susurro del palmar" at Galerie Peter Kilchmann (2018) in Zurich, Switzerland, "El otro, el mismo" at KOW (2018) in Berlin, Germany, and "La cosa está candela" at Museo de Arte Miguel Urrutia (2017) in Bogotá, Colombia. He has also participated in several editions of the Havana Biennial (2018, 2015, 2012) and the 13th Sharjah Biennial in Beirut, Lebanon (2017). Recent group shows include "Latin American Work on Paper" at Mayor Gallery (2018) in London, UK.