Raydel Blanco

Washington, DC

Raydel Blanco uses acrylic, charcoal and oil to depict urban scenes from Cuba, Panama, and the United States – countries where respectively, he was born, lived as an immigrant, and currently resides.

Raydel Blanco (b. Havana, 1988) is a visual artist living and working in the greater Washington DC metro area. Raydel graduated from the San Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts (Havana, 2007). He uses painting to explore the concept of displacement, transitory spaces, and nomadic experiences.

As an immigrant that has traveled through different cultures, Raydel finds it utterly difficult to imagine closed identities; on the contrary, he absorbs the character of these identities in movement and flow. He has widely exhibited nationally and internationally. He has received several prizes and recognitions. In addition, his work is included in diverse private collections.

Raydel’s work explores the concept of displacement, transitory spaces, and nomadic experiences. As an immigrant that has traveled through different cultures, he finds it utterly difficult to imagine closed identities; on the contrary, he absorbs the character of these identities in movement and flow. That is the reason why the classic car from the 40’s and 50’s is a recurring element in his work. Throughout Raydel’s work, he utilizes the techniques of acrylic and oil on canvas, and charcoal on paper, depicting urban scenes from Cuba, Panama, and the United States – countries where respectively, he was born, he lived as an immigrant, and currently resides. So, as a result, Raydel needed to adapt to each differing culture, landscape, and architectural style.

In Raydel’s opinion, the cars throughout his worksymbolize the period of splendor of his country of origin (Cuba), but more importantly, they are a symbol of the resistance and survival of a society that has struggled with the limitations of the Revolutionary Experiment of 1959. Their sturdy and elegant design, with their unique and long-lasting splendor, makes him reflect on the durability and permanency of these objects created in decades past, and that we long for today. It’s been an interesting learning experience for Raydel to see how the classic American car takes on differing cultural connotations depending on the point of view of each different place. In some instances, they personalize our collective societal being, while in others they take on a more personal meaning; rather they represent my fears and anxieties.