Miami.- The Cuban artist Waldo Díaz-Balartprominent figure of geometric abstract art, died in Madrid a few days before turning 94 years. The news was announced through A statement issued by his family and shared by the congressman Mario Díaz-Balart.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Waldo Díaz-Balart, the renowned Cuban painter and sculptor. Artistically known as Waldo Balart, his more than six decades of contributions to the practice of concrete art earned him a broad acclamation and recognition, ”says the family statement. His work has been exhibited worldwide and is part of the permanent collections of prestigious contemporary art museums.
“We are eternally grateful for enriching and inspiring our lives deeply, and we will miss it deeply,” concluded his family in the statement.
Born in Banes, Cuba, in 1931, Díaz-Balart settled in Spain after developing an international career that took him to New York in the 1960s, where he was part of the vibrant artistic scene of the city. His focus on geometric abstraction was reflected in his firm belief in freedom, moving away from the figurative because he considered it anchored to the past.
In addition to his artistic legacy, Díaz-Balart was known for his relationship with historical figures from Cuba. He was brother-in-law of the late dictator Fidel Castro, since his sister Mirta Díaz-Balart was Castro’s first wife. However, his political vision led him to distance himself from the Castro regime and exile abroad. In various interviews, he expressed his desire for a free Cuba, where citizens could forge their own destiny without imposition. Throughout his life, he maintained a critical position towards the Cuban dictatorship.
In one interview Published in Cubanet in 2021, Díaz-Balart also recalled key episodes of his life, such as the night of December 31, 1958, when he was in Havana and had to flee after the fall of the Batista government, managing the country to leave the country January 1, 1959.
“I understood that my own life was in danger, I ran to my house (where I lived at that time with my brother Rafael, in Miramar heights), I dismantled it and as I knew they would look for me I took refuge at the house of a relative of mine by the Balaart, with whom they could not associate, ”the artist then told this media.
“Shortly after, I knew that Raúl Castro asked about me and when they told him that he was in the United Your family.
The interview was subsequently compiled in the book “Like the phoenix: 50 stories of Cuba in exile”by the writer William Navarrete that was recently presented in Miami.
