Ángel Iñigo Blanco

An empirical artist by nature, self-taught, a primitivist of great significance in our country's culture.

He was born in a jurisdiction belonging to the province of Santiago de Cuba, son of peasants, and from the age of 5 he showed a great inclination for modeling figures fundamentally of animals, drawing the attention of neighbors and professionals of that time.

He later moved to Guantánamo, where Ángel's father bought the farm La Gracia de Felicidad de Yateras, where he worked as a peasant alongside his brothers, and later married Hilda Pérez and had 5 children, going through difficult circumstances.

He had to move to Nuevitas, Camagüey, where he worked in a museum. Later he returned to Guantánamo as an Instructor of Visual Arts, a position he did not hold for long due to implementing the Stone Zoo.

He was a member of the Asociación Hermanos Saíz and the National Council of Visual Arts since 1976, a member of UNEAC, and also received the Diploma of Professor of Merit from the School of Arts of Guantánamo in 1987.

Still being a peasant, he held several personal exhibitions through the association to which he belonged (ANAP), with which he won awards with sculpture that reflected solidarity between the peoples of Cuba and Cambodia.

His first large-format sculpture was a statue of the Cuban peasant leader and martyr Niceto Pérez García that he made by commission of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP).

Later, he created a sculpture in Tribute to José Jacinto Nápoles Fajardo (El Cucalambé) which is currently located in the province of Las Tunas, a commitment made at the First Meeting of Sculptors, where he participated alongside Rita Longa and other prestigious figures in sculptural work.

His work has been reproduced by documentaries and videos both by the nation and by foreign countries and broadcast by radio and television in much of the world.

This work has received visits from different personalities in politics and art such as Juan Almeida, Abel Prieto, Raúl Castro, Esteban Lazo, the Ambassador of China and Laos.

Since 1985 this work has been recognized as National Cultural Heritage, it contains 426 sculptures carved in limestone stones, of which 90 are by his son, which demonstrates his capacity as an instructor and his desire to continue this work for the enjoyment of our people and especially for children.

He began the Stone Zoo on December 21, 1977, which constitutes his fundamental work reflecting the life of animals, from lions attacking a buffalo to rabbits and armadillos, among others.

This place is greatly loved by the people who have known how to recognize the art of a peasant who, despite not having studied Visual Arts, possesses great mastery of expression, movement, anatomy and proportions and who through his vocation has known how to create a universal work unique of its kind in the world.

For his wonderful work the recognition of being one of the personalities of culture and several decorations:

National Culture Medal
National Vanguard Medal
Seal 30th and 50th Anniversary of the CTC
Seal of the CDR 1981
Distinguished Worker in the Municipality of Yateras
Seal 80th Anniversary of the Birth of Lázaro Peña
Seal of Best Provincial Worker of Culture
Medal 70th Anniversary of the Soviet Socialist Revolution
Medal 18th Congress of the CTC
Guamo Prize in 1989
La Fama Prize in 1994
Recognition for the Centenary of Juan Marinello
Recognition for Contributions to Provincial National Heritage Year 2000
He has participated in National, Provincial, International and local Events.