Skip to content

Roberto Diago

1971
Born in Marianao, Havana, Cuba
Lives and works in Havana, Cuba
1990
San Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2025
"Of Truth and Time," Artizar Gallery, Tenerife, Spain
2024
"Lights in the Shadows," Galeria El Apartamento, Havana, Cuba
"Diago: The Past of this Afro-Cuban Present," Art Museum Of The Americas, Washington DC
"Juan Roberto Diago: Foraged Materials, Assembled Histories," Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
"Diago and its Afro-Cuban Legacies," Stephens College Library, Missouri, Columbia, MO
2023
"30 Years, 30 Faces," Rum Museum, Havana, Cuba
"The Darkness Was the Beginning"," Casa América, Madrid, Spain
"Roberto Diago," Vallois Gallery, Paris, France
"The Darkness Was the Beginning," Centro de Arte Juan Ismael CAJI Islas Canarias, Tenerife, Spain
"Diago: An Art for All Time," Clément Foundation, Martinique
2022
"Diago: The Past of this Afro-Cuban Present," Fine Art Center at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
"Witness of Time," Artizar Gallery, Tenerife, Spain
"Tribute," Villa Manuel Gallery, UNEAC, Havana, Cuba
2019
"Diago: The Past of This Afro-Cuban Present," Lowe Art Museum, Miami, FL
"Juan Roberto Diago: 20 Years of Creation," Cernuda Art Gallery, Miami, FL
2018
"The Remembered Story," Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC
2017
"Diago: The Past of This Afro-Cuban Present," Ethelberth Cooper Gallery of African & African American Art, Hutchins Center, Harvard University, Boston, MA
2016
"Imprint of a Memory," Magnan Metz Gallery, New York, NY
"On my steps (Sur mes pas)," Vallois Galerie, Paris, France
2015
"Roberto Diago and Abstraction," Panamerican Art Projects, Miami, FL
"Tracing Ashes," Galerie Crone, Berlin, Germany
2014
"The Skin that Speaks," Gallery of the Rubén Martínez Villena Public Library, Havana, Cuba
"On my steps," Tristá Gallery, Trinidad, Cuba
2013
"The Power of Your Soul," Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana, Cuba
2012
"Between the Lines," MAGNANMETZ Gallery, New York, NY
"Project "D".11th Biennial of Havana," John Lennon Park, Vedado, Havana, Cuba
2010
"The two together," Two person exhibition, Art Center, Arenal Electa Room, Holguín, Cuba
2009
"A Place in the World," Villa Manuela Gallery. Havana, Cuba
"Utopia," Santa Fe Art Institute, Santa Fe, NM
"Roberto Diago," International Seminar: "Rite and Representation" Benito Juárez House, Havana, Cuba
2008
"Roberto Diago," El Torco Gallery, Cantabria, Spain
"Siempre Vuelv," Tristá Gallery, Trinidad, Cuba
2006
"What I Want Is to Live," (e)space gallery, Madrid, Spain
"The Power of Presence," 9th Havana Biennial, Central Exhibition, Havana, Cuba
"Drawings. Roberto Diago," Office of the City Historian, Camagüey, Cuba
"Roberto Diago," Sacramento Gallery, Aveiro, Portugal
"Roberto Diago," Pan American Art Gallery, Dallas, TX
"Joy of Living," Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"A little of me," Spativm Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
"Joy of Living," Brownstone Foundation, Paris, France
2004
"Carta Menu," Hotel Inglaterra, Havana, Cuba
"Both in Colón," Two person exhibition, Columbus Art Gallery, Matanzas, Cuba
2003
"Moments," XII International Book Fair, Onelio Jorge Cardoso Room, Complex Cultural Morro-Cabaña, Havana, Cuba
"Here what you don’t have to do is die," Downtown Contemporary Art Wifredo Lam, Havana, Cuba
2002
"Juan Roberto Diago: Recent works," ArteConsult Gallery, Panama
"Eating Knife," National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
2001
"Roberto Diago: Paintings," Benito Ortíz Gallery, Trinidad, Cuba
"Diago in Puerto Rico," Space 304, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2000
"The Black and the Cigar," Two person exhibition, Revolution and Culture Magazine, Gallery Open Space, Havana, Cuba
"You don’t have to fly to make a dream," The Lair, Havana, Cuba
"Paintings by Roberto Diago," 19th Jazz Festival, Hotel Riviera, Havana, Cuba
1999
"Roberto Diago," Peintre Contemporain Cubain, Mairie de Paris Centre, Lyon, France
"Roberto Diago," Amédée Maratier Prize 1999, Galerie Etats d’Arts et Fondation Kikoïne, Paris, France
1998
"Aller / Retour (Round Trip)," Lunéville Theatre, Lunéville, France
"Issues," La Acacia Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1997
"Black Tears," Center for the Development of Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
"After Venice," Domingo Ravenet Gallery, Havana, Cuba
1996
"Paintings by Roberto Diago," Centro de Arte 23 y 12, Havana, Cuba
1995
Mural Project, Sassari, Sardinia, Italy
1994
"Landscapes," Oloron, France
"Forest Motivs," Cuba Pavilion, Havana, Cuba

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025
"HB Cuban Contemporary Art," Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"Exhibition Cultural Creativa: Who was calling Elpidio Valdés?," La Manigua Project, Havana, Cuba
"National Sculpture Salon, 40 years CODEMA," White Room Convent San Fransisco de Asis, Havana, Cuba
"Memory of an Exhibition by Ruperto Jay Matamoros and
Roberto Diago," Salcines Gallery, Guatánamo, Cuba
"Cuban Discharge," Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, Napa County, CA
"All the Glory of the World," José Marti Memorial, Havana, Cuba "Memory of an Exhibition by Ruperto Jay Matamoros and Roberto Diago," René Gallery, Valdés, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
"The Art Of Today," Cernuda Arte, Miami, FL
"Decade Volume II," El Apartamento Gallery, Madrid, Spain
"Decade Volume I," El Gallery Apartment, Havana, Cuba
"It is born to me," Maxima Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"Persistence," Two person exhibition of the artist Roberto Diago and Carlos Nicanor," Madrid, Spain
2023
"Open Box," The Apartment – Galleria Zapata, Coral Way, Miami, FL
"Look at me, Mother," International Press Center, Havana, Cuba
2022
"I come from the sun and I go to the sun," José Martí Memorial, Havana, Cuba
"Art with Art," José Martí Memorial, Luciano Méndez Collection, Havana, Cuba
"Behind the Wall is the Love," Hispano-American Center of Culture, Havana, Cuba
"Ĩ NDAFFA," 14th Dakar Biennial, Senegal
"My Past, " The Cooper Gallery, Harvard University, Boston, MA
"Subverted Resistance," Germany
"Roads That Do Not Lead to Rome," Fourteenth Havana Biennial, W. Lam Center, Havana, Cuba
"Songs of Grito," DA2 Domus Atrium, Salamanca, Spain
2021
"Face to Face," Brownstone Foundation, Paris, France
"Artists Speak #5," Foundation Darryll Chapell, Online Event
"Roads do not lead to Rome, Coloniality, Decolonization and
Contemporaneity," 14th Havana Biennial, Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana, Cuba
"More Lights and Shadows," Carmen Montilla Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2020
"They are from Havana," Artizar Gallery, Tenerife, Spain
"Visionary Aponte," Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville, TN
"Archives of Conscience: Six Cuban Artists," Fairfield University Art Museum, Fairfield, CT
2019
"V.I.P Zone (1)," NG Art Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"Visionary: Art and Black Freedom," Center for the Development of Visual Arts, Havana, Cuba
"A Round Trip," Domus Artium Gallery 2002, Salamanca, Spain
"Private Collection, ArteMorfosis Cuban Art Platform, Zürich, Switzerland
"Majestic Havana," Iberostar Gran Packard Hotel, Havana, Cuba
"Broken lines," Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"12+1," Studio Gallery "The Trades," Havana, Cuba
"Project The Infinite Possibility, Thinking about the nation, Nothing personal," Central Program XIII Havana Biennial, National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
"Behind the Wall Project," Liquid Scenario, Central Program XIII, Havana Biennial Pier, Havana, Cuba
"HB," Collateral Program XIII Havana Biennial, Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana, Havana, Cuba
"3≠3 (three different from three)," Collateral Program XIII Havana Biennial, Havana Gallery, Havana, Cuba
2018
"Visionary Aponte Art & Black Freedom," New York University, New York, NY
"Fire," City of Science and Industry, Paris, France
"Ola Cuba," Saint Sauver Station, Lille, France
"+53 Cuba Yes," Vallois Gallery, Paris, France
"Arts of Cuba. From the Island to the World," The John F. Kennedy Center, Washington DC
"Visionary Aponte Art & Black Freedom," Pawer Plant Gallery, Duke University, NC
"Good Vista Contemporary Art in Cuba," Clément Foundation, Martinique, France
"Inauguration of the Museum of Black Civilizations," Dakar, Senegal
2017
"The Power of Perception, mans lives and other think," PAAP ANNEX, Miami, FL
"Kcho and Diago: Early Works," PAAP ANNEX, Miami, FL
"Africa. Meanings.," Light and Trades Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"Time of Intuition," Viva Arte Viva, Biennial of Venice, Palazzo Loredan, Venice, Italy
"Shipwrecked of Reason," Cultural Center of Pompano Beach, FL
"On the Horizon Contemporary Cuban Art from Jorge M. Pérez Collection," PAMM, FL
"Without Masks," National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
"Paris – Cotonou – Paris," Galeria Vallios, Paris, France
"Visionary Aponte Art & Black Freedom," Haitian Cultural Art Alliance Center, Art Basel, Miami, FL
"Important Cuban Artworks, Volume Fifteen," Cernuda Arte Gallery, Coral Gables, FL
2016
"Drapetomania," The African American Museum in Philadelphia, (AAMP), Philadelphia, PA
"Parallel Worlds," Art Factory, Havana, Cuba
"Origins," Origins of the Great Gallery, Alicia Alonso Theater, Havana, Cuba
"Basic Instinct (CNAP)," Institute Cervantes, Rome, Italy
"Strength and Blood. Imagery of the Flag in Cuban Art,"
(Traveling Exhibition), Cuba Pavilion, CNAP, Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana, Cuba
"The Mother of all the Arts," Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Havana, Cuba
"Transhumance," Brussels Art Centre (CAB), Brussels, Belgium
"Ostralle Biennale," Poland
"Two Steps Forwards: Contemporary Cuban Art," Terri and
Steven Certilman Collection, Westport Arts Center, Westport, CT
"Free Kuba," Rosctock Museum, Kunsthalle Rostock, Germany
"The Caribbean: A Collector’s Point of View," Panamerican ArtProject, Miami, FL
"Blank Space," Hispanic American Cultural Center, Havana, Cuba
"Insular Line," La Cometa Gallery – Havana Gallery, Bogotá, Colombia
"Important Cuban Artworks: Volume Fourteen," Cernuda Arte Gallery, Coral Gables, FL
2015
"1,305 Miles: Timeless," MAGNANMETZ Gallery, New York, NY
"Until Forever, Ajaccio in the Moment of Cuba," Fesch Palace, Corsica, France
"Reunions," Rum Museum Gallery, Havana, Cuba
"Drapetomania," (Traveling Exhibition), Ethelbert Cooper Gallery, Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, Harvard University, Boston, MA
"International Colloquium on Cultural Diversity in the Caribbean," Casa de las Américas, Havana, Cuba
"Free Zone," Collateral Program. Twelfth Havana Biennial, Morro-Cabaña Complex, Havana, Cuba
"HB. Collateral Program," Twelfth Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba
"Inauguration of the Romerillo Organic Museum (MOR)," KCHO Studio, Collateral Program, Twelfth Havana Biennial, Cuba
"Public Restrooms, Private Spaces," Collateral Program of the Havana Biennial, Havana, Cuba
"Made in Cuba," Cuban Art Space, Los Angeles, CA
"New Colors," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
"Modern Times," UNESCO (Hall Segur), Vallois Gallery, Paris, France
"Important Cuban Artworks," Volumes Twelve and Thirteen. Cernuda Art Gallery. Coral Gables, FL
2014
"THREE for Trinidad," Benito Ortiz Borrel Universal Art Gallery, Trinidad, Cuba
"Fresh Painting," Galería Habana, Havana, Cuba
"Permission to be Global (Global Practices in the Ella Fontanal-Cisneros Collection," (Traveling Exhibition) Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
"Drapetomania: Antillean Group and Afro-Cuban Art," The 8th Floor Gallery, New York, NY
"They meet while rolling," Contemporary Cuban Art in the
CNAP Collection, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center (SUPEC), Shanghai, China
"Absolut Kuba! Cuban Contemporary Art, From the Terri and Steven Certilman Collection and Discoveries in Art," The Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
"Without Masks," Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2013
"Bola Viva. Cuban Painting of Today," Débora Arango Exhibition Hall, Centro Cultural Gabriel García Márquez, Bogota, Colombia

Awards & Honors

2002
Distinction for National Culture. Granted by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cuba
1999
Amédée Maratier Prize 1999. Presented by the Kikoïne Foundation, and the Foundation for French Judaism
Raúl Martínez Special Prize
1995
III Prize. Juan Francisco Elso Annual National Prize for Contemporary Painting
1993
Honorable Mention: March 13th Competition, Sala Talía, Havana, Cuba
1990
Honorable Mention: Mirta Cerra Salon, Municipal Gallery of Bejucal, Cuba

Catalogues and Publications

2017
"Diago: The Past of This Afro-Cuban Present," Ethelberth Cooper Gallery of African & African American Art, Hutchins Center, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA

Public Collections

Boston Fine Arts Museum, Boston, MA
Brownstone Foundation, Paris, France
Cernuda Arte, Miami, FL
CIFO Collection, Miami, FL
Columbus Museum of Art at The Pizzutti, Columbus, OH
District 798, Xin Dong Cheng Space for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
East Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
Fort Lauderdale Museum, Fort Lauderdale, FL
HGN/HGN Collection, Duderstadt, Germany
Jorge M. Pérez Collection, Perez Art Museum Miami, FL
KAMÉLÉONE Foundation, France
Kikoïne Foundation, Paris, France
Museum of Black Civilizations, Dakar, Senegal
Museum 54, New York, NY
National Museum of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba
Pan American Art Gallery, Miami, FL
Rubin Museum of Art: The Collection, New York, NY
Sacramento Gallery, Aveiro, Portugal
Stephen Cohen Gallery, New York, NY
Terri and Steven Certilman: Discoveries in Art Collection
The von Christierson Collection, London, UK
Zabludowicz Collection, London, UK