Visual Art – Washington, D.C.
Misael Cáceres Ortega is an emerging Cuban artist who migrated to the United States in 2015, seeking political asylum. Self-taught, Misael uses oil, acrylic, charcoal and pencil in his paintings and drawings as he wrestles with feelings of nostalgia and guilt for leaving loved ones in Cuba. Misael introduces other mediums into his work as well –coffee grinds, recycled objects, trash, old magazines– the very objects he often relied on in Cuba when he couldn’t afford paints or find them due to government shortages. His work, in many respects, serves as his primary form of communication as he transitions from Spanish to English. Misael’s vivid, but muted, tones parallel the gradual time warp of his memories of La Habana, as well as the natural wear on the city’s architecture and vibrant culture after the Cuban government decided to freeze the city in time decades ago. Misael has come to see the world in these colors, which translate into work that extends beyond Cuba as well. Unable to bring any pieces or materials with him when he made the arduous six-week journey from Cuba, Misael is in the process of recreating his portfolio.