For This Cuban Artist, Dreams Appear During the Day

Nestled in a small fishing village outside of Cienfuegos, Cuba, Jose Basulto Caballero draws inspiration from his surroundings – the sea, boats, and people. A self-taught artist, Basulto Caballero began as a sculptor, but eventually pursued his first artistic passion, painting. Without access to materials, he experimented with iron oxides, vinegar, and water to produce enough shades of brown to create monochromatic images. Through the initial profits from his monochromatic paintings, Jose began purchasing acrylic paints. Today his mediums include acrylic on canvas, acrylic on cartulina (heavy paper), and graphite on cartulina.

Cuba has a rich history of arte naif, or Naïve Art, visual art created by artists without formal training. These paintings are remarkably refreshing, whimsical, surreal, vibrant, and infused with Afro-Cuban culture. Reflecting upon his own trajectory, Basulto Caballero shares “Cienfuegos has a number of art schools and each school has instructors. Unfortunately during my childhood and education, these schools did not exist so I had to learn on my own. I dream very little at night. I dream when I'm awake. Once I have an idea, I put it onto the canvas or the cartulina before the idea goes away.”

Following a successful career and being the recipient of numerous awards, Basulto Caballero recognizes the importance of teaching the next generation; “I feel that my works of art are an inspiration and influence on the children of my community, especially in the coastal neighborhoods. My artwork helps children to learn about our local natural environment, and despite the scarcity of materials, we conduct many painting and ceramics workshops and classes for children.”