Reynier Leyva Novo

Reynier Leyva Novo is a contemporary artist who was born in Havana, Cuba in 1983 and currently lives and works in Madrid, Spain. He is known for his work that challenges official historical narratives and offers alternative perspectives through various mediums such as video, photography, installation, and object production. Novo studied at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA) and at the Cátedra “Arte de Conducta,” directed by Tania Bruguera.

Novo's interest in investigating historical events and rearticulating them in new ways is evident in his early works. He dissects forgotten events, recovers data, and questions official affiliations, thereby promoting alternative discursive lines. His exhibition projects, such as “El peso de la muerte” (Continua Gallery, San Gimignano, Italy), “El peso de la Historia” (collateral show to the XII Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba), “Siri Devi Khandavilli” (Lisa Sette Gallery, Arizona, USA), and “El polvo, la sangre, el sueño común” (Museum of Contemporary Art and Visual Culture of Umeå, Sweden), demonstrate his investigative solidity and depth.

Novo has participated in numerous international art events, including the Venice Biennale (Italy), Frestas Art Triennial (Brazil), ArtBo International Art Fair (Colombia), the Armory Show (USA), and ARCO Madrid Art Fair (Spain). His works are housed in prestigious institutions such as the National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba; the collection of the Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, USA; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC, USA; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA; Fundación CIFO-Europa, Spain, and the Perez Art Museum (PAMM), Miami, USA.