Maykel Herrera Pacheco

Outstanding Cuban visual artist. Popularly known as the "painter of children," his work has transcended borders to, in a surprisingly brief time, gain space within contemporary Cuban art.

Native of Vertientes, Camagüey. Graduate of the Professional School of Visual Arts of Camagüey, specializing in Painting 1993-1998.

In his childhood he felt an inclination for sports. But also attracted by the figure of his architect father, he began to imitate his drawings. Thus he continued drawing and perfecting himself over the years.

In ninth grade he began at the Professional School of Visual Arts of Camagüey. This is how his career as a creator began.

A year after graduating from the painting school he began as a professor at the same school, teaching Drawing and Painting to 3rd and 4th year students. While very young, one of his works Nude of John Paul II was selected for the Special Magazine that, on the occasion of the Pope's visit to Cuba in 1998, was published in Camagüey. He has conducted drawing, painting, and art appreciation workshops in community projects in Vertientes, Camagüey and in the City of Havana.

He has carried out curatorial work in collective exhibitions. He is a member of the Hermanos Saíz Association, an institution that brings together the most outstanding art and literature from the young generation of Cuba. He collaborates as a Visual Arts specialist with the magazine Así on Radio Rebelde, conducted by Franco Carbó.

Maykel Herrera's painting is precious, subtle and somewhat dreamlike, it overcomes with the stroke of foreshortening, reliefs, impasto and glazes even the most perfect facial features created by Mother Nature. His characters float in various atmospheres, sepias, ochres and a peculiar aged gold along with graceful textures and various compositional elements typical of his poetics. In his rising artistic career, his interest in experimentation and in reflecting his time with total creative freedom has been paramount, in order to rediscover himself through an art that is a synthesis of Cubanness.

Personal Exhibitions
2012
The truth seems like a story. Lombillo Palace Gallery, Old Havana, Cuba.
2010
"I see nothing". Galiano Gallery. City of Havana. Cuba.
Expo for the 50th anniversary of Gato Tuerto, We Are What There Is Project. City of Havana. Cuba.
2009
"Utopia". London, England.
"Complete Flavor". Gato Tuerto. City of Havana.
2008
"Festival of Princes". Radio Rebelde. ICRT. Havana. Cuba.
"The stone in my shoe". Paris, France.
"Festival of Princes". Central House of the FEU. City of Havana. Invited to intervene in the works: Silvio Rodríguez, Carlos Varela, Amayry Pérez, Sara González, Gerardo Alfonso, Alfredito Rodríguez, Liuba María Hevia, Albertico Pujol, Blanca Rosa Blanco, Fernando Pérez, Carlos Ruíz de la Tejera, Iván Pedroso, Filiberto Azcuí, Franco Carbón, Rubiera, Marino Luzardo, Diana Balboa.
2007
Retrospective. Embassy of Canada. City of Havana. Cuba.
"Dwarf Princes". La Acacia Gallery. City of Havana. Cuba.
The opinion that caresses you, Mixed technique on canvas
The opinion that caresses you, Mixed technique on canvas
2005
"Chimera in risks". Pinacole Building. Miami Beach. USA.
"Appearances". Cultural Center. Rome. Italy.
2004
"Appearances". Rambla de las flores. Barcelona. Spain.
"Ankylosis". Contemporary Art Center. San Juan. Puerto Rico.
2003
"..., therefore I exist". Toronto. Canada.
2002
"..., therefore I exist". Art Contemporain Center. Pinacole Building. Miami Beach. USA.
"..., therefore I exist". Hotel St' John's. City of Havana. Cuba.
2001
"..., therefore I exist". Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
"Island forever". EJO Project. Camagüey. Cuba.
"Sigh in the air". House of Culture. Vertientes. Cuba.
2000
Surprise of a legitimizer. Rambla de las Flores. Barcelona. Spain.
"Island forever". Julián Morales Gallery. UNEAC. Camagüey. Cuba
1999
"Landscapes". Municipal Museum. Vertientes. Cuba.
1998
"Portraits". House of Culture. Vertientes. Cuba.
1997
"Portraits of Jesús Suárez Gayol". Student Museum. Camagüey. Cuba.
1995
Drawing Exhibition. Scientific Conference. José White Music School. Camagüey. Cuba.

Collective Exhibitions
2009
"Big ones that make small". UNEAC. Camagüey.
This Man is my friend. José Martí Memorial. Havana.
Contemporary Cuban Art in Malaysia.
Shanghai Art Fair.
Cuban Art in Portugal.
Cuban Art in Madrid. Spain.
International Fair "Cuba Nostalgia". Miami. USA.
Open Sky Project. "Restore yourself". Collateral to the X Biennial of Havana. Old Havana.
Good Bye, Mixed technique on canvas
Good Bye, Mixed technique on canvas
"Steps in Biennial". Collateral Expo to the X Biennial of Havana. Old Havana.
Collective Expo. "Meeting". Riviera Hotel. Havana. Cuba.
Collective Expo. "Meeting". Luz y Oficios Gallery. Havana. Cuba.
2008
Marbella Art Fair. Spain.
Landscape sample. Comodoro Hotel. C. Havana. Cuba.
Sample in the Main Room of Gato Tuerto. C. Havana. Cuba.
2007
Sample at Habana Libre Hotel. C. Havana. Cuba.
Sample at Havana Art Gallery. C. Havana. Cuba
"Common souls". Tribute to artists. Hispanic American Center of Culture.
Collective Expo. La Acacia Gallery. C. Havana. Cuba.
National Meeting of Engraving. Center for the Development of Visual Arts. C. of Havana.
Collective Expo "Casabe and matajíbaro". Convent of Santa Clara, City of Havana.
Collective Expo at Habana Libre Hotel.
2006
Havana Art Gallery. Café. Mike Watson Collection. England.
Víctor Manuel Gallery. Havana. Cuba.
Formas Gallery. Havana. Cuba.
"The Cuban reality". San Juan. Puerto Rico.
"Fine Painting". Paris. France.
2005
"Together and mixed up". Toronto. Canada.
2004
City Salon. Havana. Cuba.
Cuban Art. Fleur de lys Hotel. San José. Costa Rica.
2003
XIX Fidelio Ponce de León Salon. Cuba.
Language of adults, Mixed technique on canvas
Language of adults, Mixed technique on canvas
VIII Biennial of Havana. "Among Friends" Expo in Presentation of Artes Magazine in Santo Domingo. Sevilla Hotel. City of Havana. Cuba.
VIII Biennial of Havana. Víctor Manuel Gallery. City of Havana. Cuba.
XIX Provincial Salon Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery, Camagüey. Cuba.
National Painting, Sculpture and Engraving Contest PMA in action 2004. Center for Dev. Visual Arts. C. Havana. Cuba.
II Biennial of Visual Arts and Mental Health 2003. City of Havana. Cuba.
Playa Salon 2003 "Servando Cabrera Moreno". City of Havana. Cuba.
2002
National Salon of Visual Arts "Fayad Jamís". Emir Abdel Kader Gallery, Arab Union of Cuba. C. of Havana. Cuba
XVIII Provincial Salon Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery, Camagüey. Cuba.
XI City Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
Reunion of Visual Artists Camagüey-City of Havana. Cuba.
Tribute of Camagüey Visual Artists to the Office of the Historian. Office of the Historian Headquarters. Camagüey. Cuba.
2001
XVII Provincial Salon of Visual Arts Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey.
X City Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
2000
Guernica Salon. Art Gallery. Nuevitas. Camagüey. Cuba
XVI Provincial Salon of Visual Arts Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba
"Moon at Dawn". House of Culture. Vertientes. Camagüey. Cuba
Bipersonal Expo. House of Culture. Vertientes. Camagüey. Cuba
IX City Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba
1999
Year-End Salon. MIRA Gallery. House of the Young Creator. Camagüey.
XV Provincial Salon of Visual Arts Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
Salon of Art Instructors. Provincial Center of Community Culture. Camagüey. Cuba.
Drawing Expo. Matanzas. Cuba.
VIII City Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
1998
X Graduation of Visual Arts Students. Julián Morales Gallery. Uneac. Camagüey. Cuba.
Eduardo Abela Salon. House of Culture. Vertientes. Camagüey. Cuba.
1997
XIII Provincial Salon of Visual Arts Fidelio Ponce. Provincial Center of Visual Arts. Camagüey. Cuba
Eduardo Abela Salon. House of Culture. Vertientes. Camagüey. Cuba
1996
Sample of Students from the School of Visual Arts of Camagüey. El Mayor's Birthplace House. Cuba.
V City Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
Expo of Visual Arts Students of Camagüey. MIRA Gallery. House of the Young Creator. Cuba.
1995
Landscape Salon of the School of Visual Arts of Camagüey. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
1994
Drawing Salon. School of Visual Arts of Camagüey. Alejo Carpentier Gallery.

Awards and Recognition
2002
Mention XVIII Provincial Salon Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery, Camagüey. Cuba.
Mention XI City Salon. Camagüey. Cuba.
2000
Mention. XVI Provincial Salon Fidelio Ponce. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Camagüey. Cuba.
Grand Prize and AHS Prize. Guernica Salon. Nuevitas Gallery. Cuba.
1999
AHS Prize. XV Fidelio Ponce Salon. Alejo Carpentier Gallery. Cuba.
1998
Grand Prize. Eduardo Abela Salon. Vertientes. Cuba.
1997
II Prize. Eduardo Abela Salon. Vertientes. Cuba.
1996
II Prize. Eduardo Abela Salon. Vertientes. Cuba.
1995
Mention. Landscape Salon of Students from the Art School. Camagüey. Cuba.
Grand Prize. Collateral Salon. Scientific Conference. Camagüey. Cuba.

Illustrated Books
First House
Swift Rope
She was where it was not known
The captain of the sleepers
Break the silence
The White Buffalo
New Latin American Cartographies
Cuban Narrators of Today
Sol y Son Magazine
Cuba Plus Magazine
Cuba Internacional Magazine
Paper Stories
The Children of the Kamikaze
Figurants
Chronicles of Tomorrow

Other Participations
Donation of a work for the prize of the Humor Festival "Aquelarre 2008".
Donation of a work to the Sitio del Arte program for its V Anniversary.

Collections
His works are found in the collections of the Jesús Suárez Gayol Student Museum of Camagüey, in the Studies of Habana Radio, as well as in private collections in countries such as Denmark, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, France, Italy, England, Bahamas, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Costa Rica, Andorra, Argentina, Japan, China, Germany and Spain.

He is married to presenter and radio host Bárbara Sánchez Novoa