Jose Julián Aguilera Vicente

José Julían Aguilera Vicente. Outstanding painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic designer, and set designer.

He was born in Santiago de Cuba. Outstanding painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic designer, and set designer. Starting in 1953, he studied at the Provincial School of Fine Arts "José Joaquín Tejada" in Santiago de Cuba.

In the 1980s, he served as Professor of printmaking at the Institute of Higher Education in Santiago de Cuba.

Founder of the Plastic Arts Collective of the former province of Oriente and the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC); he was professor and director of the José Joaquín Tejada School. He also taught at the Normal School, the IPE, and the University of Oriente.

He is one of the main figures of the Galería group, a collective that revolutionized the arts in Santiago during the 1950s. His work continues the finest landscape and social tradition of the city, his artistic, teaching, and social work enjoys great esteem and consideration both within and outside the country.

National Exhibitions
1961 - Personal Exhibition "Grabados de JJAV", Art Gallery of Camagüey.
2000 - Exhibition - "Magical Incisions", Oriente Gallery, Santiago de Cuba.
Various group exhibitions.

International Exhibition
1994 - "Arte de Cuba", Josep Comaposada Foundation, Barcelona, Spain.

Works in Collection
Hotel Santiago, Santiago de Cuba.
Bacardí Museum, Santiago de Cuba.
National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana.

Honors
He received various honors:
Two Gold Medals in Sculpture (1955 and 1956).
Distinctions for National Culture Raúl Gómez García
Lázaro Peña Order
Frank País Order.
José María Heredia Plaque

He created in Santiago de Cuba the Workshop that bears his surname, and from there he undertook numerous projects to extend the plastic arts to the community and to institutions, as was the case of the first gallery operating in a healthcare facility: the Cardiovascular Surgery Center, where by initiative of José Julián, works by artists from the five eastern provinces who responded to Aguilera's call are exhibited.

Almost a quarter century ago, a heart attack brought the artist to the brink of death, but he survived with the support and wisdom of medical staff, and later, thanks to the printmaker's perseverance, his optimistic spirit, and unwavering determination, he lived until August 28, 2014.

"The Workshop will continue with its community projects and its support for the general development of the plastic arts, as a legacy from our father, who conceived it for that purpose," said this morning Josefina, Joel, and Carlos René, the children, who will follow up on José Julián's initiative.

Aguilera Vicente, outstanding personality of the plastic arts in Cuba, passed away at dawn on Thursday, August 28, at age 80, as a result of respiratory failure, due to his delicate state of health, worsened in recent weeks by other complications.