Jose Urbay is excited about the future of his homeland.
This week, U.S. President Barack Obama became the first sitting American leader to visit the country in 88 years with the aim to ease sanctions.
Urbay hopes the re-opening of the borders will only bring good to his “very poor and devastated country” — one in which he fled with his family and children eight years ago.
Born and raised in Havana City, Urbay has a wealth of creative experience.
He trained in informational design, photography, illustration and painting before immigrating to Canada in 2008.
And since landing here, Urbay has studied and worked as a graphic designer; however, the Surrey resident has also maintained his artistry by exhibiting in solo and group shows around Metro Vancouver.
On Thursday, he’ll display his latest series at the Port Moody Arts Centre called Visions from Nowhere, a show of surreal journeys that include his immigration to a new land.
Urbay has around 23 acrylics on canvas and 20 multilayered resin pieces on the walls — all created within the past year.
“They all refer to a place that doesn’t exist but in my mind,” he wrote in an email to The Tri-City News last week.
Dreams, memories, myths and legends from his Cuban homeland — mixed with fantasy and surreal worlds — form his inspiration, he said.
As well, Urban tends to look for symbols to express his physical transition.
At home in Cuba, Urbay was brought up around musicians and artists; as a result, work and play were given equal time, he said.
Over the years, he exhibited his work in Havana, Madrid, New York, Brussels and around Metro Vancouver and, today, some of his work is held in private collections in the U.S. and Norway.
Last year, Urbay showed his mixed media at the Port Moody Arts Centre as part of a group show called Art 4 Life.
It was then that he fell in love with the St. Johns Street space and was encouraged by curator Janice Cotter to put in a proposal.
With Visions from Nowhere, Urbay hopes to take viewers into a world “full of creatures, symbols and metaphors” of his journey as an artist.
• Also opening at PMAC Thursday night is Life In Colour by Claire Sower (3D Gallery) and The Animation Art of IGS by Irina Golina Sagatelian (Suncor Gallery). All three shows run until April 21. The opening reception goes from 6 to 8 p.m. at 2425 St. Johns St., Port Moody. The artists will be in attendance and snacks will be served. Visit pomoarts.ca.
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