Piki Mendizabal was born in Havana in 1982. From 2006 to 2008 he studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro in Havana. In April of 2008 Piki left Cuba, settling in Homestead, Florida. He had his first solo show, Sueños de la Libertad, in 2009 at the Zu Gallery in Miami. His paintings are often set in his native Habana Vieja where everyday hardships intersect with half a millenium of cultural legacy. His art was displayed at various group exhibitions and museums and comprised two solo shows in New Orleans: 'Reflection and the Diasporic Epic' which was held at the Mexican Cultural Institute in 2018 and 'The Parade Ends' at the Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in 2020. Miami, the other city where Piki shows his works more regularly, is currently (from February 12th - March 19th 2) showing his last personal exhibition at the Miami Hispanic Cultural Art Center, with the titled: "Habana Mia , El Gran Solar"
A painting of his was recently admitted into the collection of the Denver Art Museum in Colorado. Piki's more polemic piece "Rebellion in the Island" can be found at the American Museum of Cuban Diaspora in Miami, Florida.
Piki is currently living and working in New Orleans, Louisiana.
RESUME
A Brief History
[Old Havana, Cuba 1982]
EDUCATION
2006 – 2008 National Academy of Fine Arts San Alejandro, Havana, Cuba
AWARDS and HONORS
2012- 2nd Place Overall - Miracle Miles Art Festival, Miami, FL
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 Habana Mia, El Gran Solar- Miami Hispanic Cultural Art Center, Miami, FL.
2020 The Parade Ends- Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans ,LA.
2018 Reflection and the Diasporic Epic - Mexican Cultural Institute, New Orleans, LA
2009 Suenos de Libertad – Zu Gallery, Miami FL
UPCOMING EVENTS
Canoa (Caribbean and New Orleans Arts)
Celebrating Art Career & Sing for Hope piano Donation painted by Piki Mendizabal
Music by Yusa Mar & Marina Albero.
April 20th , 6- 9 pm.
4210 ST Claude Ave. New Orleans, LA. 70117.
"Impact" Gallery Huracan. ( Group Show)
April 6th- May 4th
3441 Magazine st, New Orleans, LA.70115.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 "Impact" Gallery Huracan, New Orleans, LA. ( On View Now)
2024 Sing for Hope Piano collection, Jazz Museum, New Orleans, LA
2024 "Individuals" Second Story Gallery , New Orleans, LA.
2023 What a Night! Ogden Museum of Southern Arts, New Orleans, LA.
2023 38th International Exhibition-Meadows Gallery at Tyler University, TX.
2021 "Santa Maria , Madre de Dios" Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center, Miami FL
2021 "8th Catholic Biennial of Catholic Art" Verostko Center for the Arts , PA.
2019 Storied Images: Fiction, Symbols, and Theatrically in Four Contemporary Cuban Visual Artists – Miami, FL
2018 The Republic of Cuba Pavilion Notes – Ashe Cultural Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
2018 Breakthrough New Orleans – Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA
2017 "New Perspectives" Reynolds Ryan Art Gallery, New Orleans ,LA.
2017 Murmurs from Cuba – Jazz Fest Grand Stand Exhibit, New Orleans, LA
2016 Encuentro: Latin Art in New Orleans – Estudio Inferno Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2015 Hispanic Convergence in New Orleans – Mexican Cultural Institute, New Orleans, LA
2015 RAW: New Orleans Presents: Spectrum – Republic New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
2015 Douglas Michael Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2014 The AnbaDio VI Art Exhibition – Cafe Istanbul at the New Orleans Healing Center, New Orleans, LA
2014 Miracle Miles Art Festival – Miami, FL
2013 Cuban Connection: Contemporary Cuban and Cuban-American Art – Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2012 Friday Night at NOMA w/ Artfully Aware – New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
2012 Summer Group Show – Octavia Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2012 Miracle Miles Art Festival – Miami, FL
2011 Empire of the Senseless – Du Mois Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2009 Sister Cities Invitational Group Show – Miami, FL
2009 Miracle Miles Art Festival – Miami, FL
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2024-Current Itinerant Art Teacher for Jefferson Parish Public Schools
2016-2020 IB Art Teacher International High School of New Orleans.
2014-2016 Art Teacher International School of Louisiana.
GUEST LECTURES & APPEARANCES
2023 Artistas con Mayuscula by Angel Alonso, Barcelona, Spain
2021 Artepoli Magazine XXXI , Barcelona Spain.
2018 Impressions by New Perspective – Mexican Cultural Institute, New Orleans, LA 2017 New
2018 Perspectives – Isidore Newman School, Reynolds Ryan Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
COLLECTIONS
American Museum of Cuban Diaspora, Miami, FL.
Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
Ricardo Pau-Llosa Private Collection, Miami, FL
Mario Madero Private Collection, New Orleans, LA.
Isidore Newman School Permanent Collection, New Orleans, LA.
Private Collections in Spain, Norway, Japan, France ,Australia and another dozen countries worldwide.
