Eduardo Roca Salazar

Choco, artistic name of the renowned Cuban painter and engraver Eduardo Roca Salazar. He is a distinguished artist in the visual arts with worldwide fame. Member of the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), the Experimental Workshop of Graphic Arts of Havana (TEGH) and the International Association of Visual Artists (AIAP).

"Choco is a vanguard precursor of collography, a contemporary technique whose procedure and application offers a broad and rich range of possibilities for the artist's sensibility. He has employed themes in his work such as the rich characteristics of his people and his land, using warm and cold colors and tones, subtle and vivid, always framed by black that merges into a unity the sensibility transmitted in a simple and warm manner to each viewer who contemplates it"

He was born in Santiago de Cuba. He studied at the School of Art Instructors and at the National School of Art. He graduated with a degree in Art History from the University of Havana. He has carried out important teaching work in specialized institutions in Cuba and Spain. His work is displayed in museums and galleries around the world such as the National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba; Museum of Africa, Chicago, USA; Museum of the Print, Mexico City; Kochi Museum, Japan; Miró Foundation, Palma de Mallorca, Spain; César Gaviria private collection in Colombia and in institutions in Sweden.

Professional Activities
1970: Teaches a Postgraduate course at the José Joaquín Tejada School, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. 1973
1973: Joins the Painting Department at the Academy "San Alejandro", Havana, Cuba.
1978: Joins the Painting Department at the National School of Art, Havana, Cuba.
1989: Teaches an engraving course at the Popular University of Villanueva de Arosa, Galicia, Spain.
1994: Teaches a Collography course at the Miró Foundation, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
1999: Works at the Brandy Wine Workshop. Engraving Workshop of Philadelphia, USA.
2000: Works at the URDLA Workshop. Engraving workshop, Lyon, France.
Solo Exhibitions:

1977: "Men of Mocha". Habana Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

1978: Oriente Gallery, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.

1980: Barrio Viejo Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden.

1981- "Two Contemporary Cuban Artists: Eduardo Roca (Choco) and Nelson Domínguez". Misión Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA

1984: Pirámide Gallery, Mexico.

1987: "Loose Things". Plaza Vieja Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

1989: Provincial Room of the Palace of Málaga, Spain/Castillo Chinchón, Madrid, Spain.

1990: Remo Croce Gallery, Rome, Italy.

1992: "A Cuban Transparency". International Press Center, Havana, Cuba.

1993- Alonso Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia/"For the Sincere Friend". Coyoacanense Cultural Forum, Mexico.

1994- Joan Miró Foundation, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

1995: Atlántica Gallery, La Coruña, Spain.

1996: "In the Zone of Twilight". Castillo Sotomayor, Galicia, Spain/Museum of Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan.

1997- Yokohama Museum, Japan.

1998- Museum of Engravings, Buenos Aires, Argentina/"Of Walls and Transparencies". Pablo de la Torriente Brau Cultural Center, Havana, Cuba.

1999: Promo-Arte Gallery, Tokyo, Japan/"Navigating the Paths". La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

2000- "Social, Intellectual and Chic...". Rum Museum, Havana/ Promo-Arte Gallery, Tokyo, Japan/París Gallery, France.

2001:"Cuban Styles" 2001. Somarts Gallery, San Francisco, USA/ "Cuban Styles" 2001.

1st Pinto Gallery, Washington DC. USA/"On the Edge of the Millennium". Museum of the Americas, San Francisco, Puerto Rico

"Paintings and Engravings". Casal de S'hereu, Fires Llucmajor, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

2002- "To Enter or Not to Enter". Erasto Cortés Museum, Puebla, Mexico.

2003- "Choco". Casa Lam, Mexico.

Awards and Distinctions

1977: Award. Engraving. National Youth Salon of Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba. 1981
1981: Medal of Honor Graphics Salon, Bulgaria. 1984
1984: Orense Competition, Galicia, Spain. 1985
1985 and 1986: 1st Drawing Prize UNEAC, Havana, Cuba.
1995: Order for National Culture
1999: Grand Prize IV Triennial Institute of Engraving, Japan.
2000: First Prize in the Kochi Print Biennial, Japan.

Chronology
1970- Graduated from the National School of Art, Havana.
Studied at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, University of Havana, Cuba.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS:
1977- Award. Engraving. National Youth Salon of Visual Arts, Havana.
1981- First Prize. Engraving. National Salon of Visual Arts UNEAC, Havana/ Medal of Honor. Graphics Salon of Bulgaria.
1983- Mention. Engraving Meeting, Havana/First Prize. II Mini-Engraving Biennial, Orense, Galicia, Spain.
1985/1986- First Prize. Drawing. National Salon of Visual Arts, UNEAC, Havana.
1999- Grand Prize. IV International Triennial of Engraving, Kochi, Japan.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
1977- "Men of Mocha". Habana Gallery.
1978- Oriente Gallery, Santiago de Cuba.
1980- Barrio Viejo Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden.
1981- "Two Contemporary Cuban Artists: Eduardo Roca (Choco) and Nelson Domínguez". Misión Gallery, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
1984- Pirámide Gallery, Mexico.
1987- "Loose Things". Plaza Vieja Gallery, Havana.
1989- Provincial Room of the Palace of Málaga, Spain/Castillo Chinchón, Madrid, Spain.
1990- Remo Croce Gallery, Rome, Italy.
1992- "A Cuban Transparency". International Press Center, Havana.
1993- Alonso Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia/"For the Sincere Friend". Coyoacanense Cultural Forum, Mexico.
1994- Joan Miró Foundation, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
1995- Atlántica Gallery, La Coruña, Spain.
1996- "In the Zone of Twilight". Castillo Sotomayor, Galicia, Spain/Museum of Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan.
1997- Yokohama Museum, Japan.
1998- Museum of Engravings, Buenos Aires, Argentina/"Of Walls and Transparencies". Pablo de la Torriente Brau Cultural Center, Havana.
1999- Promo-Arte Gallery, Tokyo, Japan/"Navigating the Paths". La Acacia Gallery, Havana.
2000- "Social, Intellectual and Chic...". Rum Museum, Havana/ Promo-Arte Gallery, Tokyo, Japan/París Gallery, France.
2001- "Cuban Styles" 2001. Somarts Gallery, San Francisco, USA/ "Cuban Styles" 2001. 1st Pinto Gallery, Washington DC. USA/"On the Edge of the Millennium". Museum of the Americas, San Francisco, Puerto Rico/"Paintings and Engravings". Casal de S'hereu, Fires Llucmajor, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
2002- "To Enter or Not to Enter". Erasto Cortés Museum, Puebla, Mexico.
2003- "Choco". Casa Lam, Mexico.