Carlos Gamez de Francisco
Waiting for a Train II

Name: Waiting for a Train II
Brand: Carlos Gamez de Francisco
Price: 8300 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

"Waiting for a Train II" is an acrylic on canvas painting by Cuban artist Carlos Gamez de Francisco from his "Home Decor I" series. Like the rest of the pieces in the series, "Waiting for a Train II" features a single figure against a blank, monotone background. A young woman with red braids wears a green long-sleeved dress and holds an old-fashioned suitcase with multiple stickers. Seven additional suitcases balance on her head, tilting at precarious angles. The painting also features three large insects, two flying in the empty light-blue space and one resting on the subject's shoulder. Francisco includes multiple insects in many of his paintings. Insects flying up represent freedom, insects flying down or falling represent chaos, and insects at rest represent balance between the two. This painting is the artist's representation of moving from one phase of life to the next, the suitcases representing past experiences. Francisco first painted this concept as a watercolor which he later developed into this acrylic-on-canvas version. About the Artist: Carlos Gamez de Francisco was born in post-revolutionary Cuba in 1987 to a Cuban- Spanish mother and a Cuban-American father. He grew up in Cuba and was educated in an academic style heavily influenced by the Russian Academy. At age five, he determined, with absolute certainty, that he would be an artist. By the time he was 15, Francisco was diligently painting eight hours a day. Today, he often spends 15 hours a day painting and feels "very blessed" to do what he loves. Francisco arrived in the United States at 21 with $650 and knew no English. He spent $600 on art supplies and $50 on a pair of Cortez running shoes – just like the ones Forrest Gump wore to run across the United States. He committed himself to learning 100 English words every day, studying diligently, working, and painting at night. His hard work and perseverance led him to earn artistic commissions and recognition. Cuban history has guided Francisco's work in a variety of ways. "On the one hand, it allows me to rethink the way storytelling is part of our memories," he says. "On the other, it allows me to question the accuracy of history and its telling." Exposed to Figurative Arts in Cuba by the presence of the Russian Academy, Francisco began decontextualizing epochs and cultural symbols as a way of connecting the past with the present. Currently, this near-obsession with the past translates into figures, scenarios, and most importantly, the recreation of his own stories. "I am more fascinated in altering history than depicting it accurately," says Francisco.

Creator:

Carlos Gamez de Francisco (1987, Cuban)

Dimensions:

Height: 50 in (127 cm)Width: 25 in (63.5 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)

Medium:

Acrylic,Canvas

Movement & Style:

Surrealist

Period:

2010-

Framing:

Framing Options Available