Orlando Almanza on Oregon Art Beat
Limited Edition Prints available at Froelick Gallery
Recent Exhibition: Gente de Rio
Orlando Almanza
(he/him)
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"I am drawn to stories. I love to listen to myths, legends and stories and to hold them in my mind. To imagine how they occurred. My passion and work is to find the visual universe where myths exist and to commit them to memory on canvas.
My pieces often begin with sculpture-like figures which are then layered with paint and colors. I like to leave lines, clues and hidden surprises in my pieces, exploring the nuance and layers of each moment. In my work, nothing is certain, nothing is finished, nothing is exactly as it seems. Spirit-like figures appear momentarily, half-truth, half-myth. Fantastical creatures are nestled behind palms and colorful flowers. Lush landscapes and colors give a sense of the unknown, of our hopes and fears and all things both real and imagined." - Orlando Almanza |
Orlando Almanza (b.1989, Las Tunas, Cuba) pulls us into his dreamworld of memory, myth and loss with ethereal landscapes, portraits and storytelling. His stories take place in the natural world where figures are intertwined with plants, animals and light. The interconnectedness of his work points to the artist's deep dedication to nature, and the unique way it connects with myths and storytelling across cultures. Each painting invites us in, to search for meaning and truth. Almanza received his B.A. in printmaking from the Institute of Superior Arts in Havana, Cuba.
In 2022, Almanza presented a solo exhibition titled “Born by the River'' at Soapbox Arts Gallery in Burlington, Vermont as well as a solo exhibition titled “Un Laberinto en el Estómago de un Cocodrilo” (A labyrinth in the stomach of a crocodile) at ONA Galeria in Havana, Cuba. These exhibitions focused on the myths from the artist's childhood in the Cuban countryside. Recent honors include an Artist Residency at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology and the addition of one of Almanza’s works to The Hood Museum at Dartmouth College collection. He currently works and resides in Portland, OR and Havana, Cuba. |