Vitaly García Sigoenko

About Vitaly

Vitaly Garcia Sigoenko was born in Lviv city, Ukraine (former USSR) on November 24th, 1968. A year after, he moved to Cuba with his parents.

In 1994, he graduated from Architecture gaining great skills in scale model developing. It was not until 1997 that he decided to devote himself entirely to sculpture.

As a self-taught sculptor, he specialized in wood carving. Furthermore, he joined the «October 10» group in 1997 and also the Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets as an independent artist since September. He was a Member of the Cuban Association of Craft Artists (ACAA) (November 1998 – August 2010) and Vice President of the Woodcarving manifestation of ACAA (2004 – 2010).

He has been interviewed several times by Cuban radio and television.

Television Program Appearances:

• «Like every Sunday», 2000
• «Art Site», June 2005
• «Art-Fashion», June 2005, Cuba Vision International Channel
• «From evening at home», October 2009, Educational Channel

Some of these interviews can be viewed on the website: www.sigoarte.es

Radio Station Interviews:

• Radio Rebelde Digital, December 2004
• CMBF, August 2004 and February 2005
• Radio Coco, February 2005
• Metropolitan, February 2005
• Radio Havana, February 2005
• Radio Rebelde, «Total Frequency», June 2005

Integrated the National Commission to select prestigious personalities of art who were awarded on June 29, 2005 at the José Martí Memorial in Havana, Cuba.

Delegate of the Second Congress of the ACAA (June of 2005).

In 2010, he immigrated to Asturias, Spain with his family, currently working in his own studio «SigoArte».

On October 23rd, 2014, an article with his interview was published in the UK «Woodcarving magazine» (issue No. 141). This magazine specializes in wood carving. This interview can be accessed through the following link: Woodcarving magazine.

Woodcarving magazine

Awards:

• Second place at the category of «Non-members» in the First Event of Days of the Wood in Lugones, Asturias, Spain (July of 2012).
• Mention at the Fifth Craft Biennial, in the Ornamental Arts National Museum with the work «The Guardian» (July – August, 2008) – Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets award.
• Second Place at the Third Craft Biennial, in the Ornamental Arts National Museum (July – August, 2004) with the work «Spurs, fire and passion». He also obtained:
  • The Ceramic manifestation award.
  • The Cuban Yoruba Society award.
• This sculpture appears on the cover of the first edition of the ACAA magazine «Hands» (December of 2004). In the second edition of «Hands», this work was included again with an artist’s brief curriculum.
• First Prize in small format (miniature) with the work «Friends, why not» at the Second National Wood Craft Biennial (October – November of 2002).
• Mention with the work titled: «Oblivion Muse» at the First National Wood Craft Salon (March – April of 2000).

Personal Exhibitions:

• Exhibition «Between stories and legends» in showroom in Norena, Asturias. (December 2012).
• Exhibition «Winners of The Third Craft Biennial». Ornamental Arts National Museum (June – September 2005).
• Exhibition in the 9th Ibero-American Sample of Craft, held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands (October – November 1999).

Collective Exhibitions:

• Exhibition of small format in the «La Salita» gallery (December 2015).
• International Sand Sculpture Competition «L'international de sculpture sur sable», Quebec, Canada. Sculptural groups «Che Guevara» and «Through the storm» (August 2009).
• Collective exhibition in the Carmen Montilla gallery (June – July 2007).
• Member of the jury of the Fourth Craft Biennial. He was also an invited artist and designer of the catalog and the Biennial diploma (July – August 2006).
• Invited artist in collective Sample «Three wooden» in the Chinese Traditions and Art House in the China Town (April – May 2006).
• Collective exhibition in the Havana Fair FIHAV. EXPOCUBA (November 2005).
• Invited artist in the «José Fowler» Salon (August 2005).
• Collective National exhibition «Walking with the Quixote» in the José Martí Memorial in honor of the 400th anniversary of «Don Quixote» (June – July 2005).
• Collective exhibition «Witness of the Time» at O'Farril hotel (June 2005) in greeting to the International Environment Day.
• Collective exhibition in the «Carmen Montilla» Gallery in greeting to the Second ACAA Congress (June – July 2005).
• Collective exhibition «Coincidence» in the Merceditas Valdés Gallery of the Cuban Yoruba Cultural Association (February – March 2005).
• He participated as an invited artist in the collective exposition that took place in the Columbus Municipality, Matanzas. He was also part of the Jury (September 2004).
• Collective exhibition «Sing to the Love» (February – March 2004). L Gallery.
• Collective exhibition «Reunion» (November – December 2003). Ornamental Arts National Museum.
• Collective exhibition «Converge» (May 2003). Carlos Enríquez Gallery in Managua.
• Collective exhibition «The fibers of the woodland» (April 2003). Carmen Montilla Gallery.
• International Encounter of the South Project. Gallery «HER – CAR» (February 2003).
• VIII Erotic Art Salon in the Gallery «Fayad Jamis» (February-April 2002).
• Collective exhibition carried out by the group October 10 «Tribute» in homage to Oswaldo Guayasamín (April 1999).
• Exhibition at the Conventions Palace (June 1999).
• International Craft Fair (FIART) (February 1999, 2001, 2004).
• «Dreams of XX years» for the 20th anniversary of having founded the Gallery October 10 (November 1998).
• National Craft Fair, for the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets (August 1998).
• Cuban-Argentina Exhibition. Gallery October 10 (November 1997).

The artist has donated his works several times to recognize national and international personalities, such as:

• (May 2003) «Siren» was given to the Costa Rica Energy Vice Minister, representing the delegation to the «XIX Latin American Conference of Rural Electrification».
• (December 2004) «Taurus» cane as recognition to Martha Arjona in the Third ACAA Craft Biennial.
• (June 2005) «Colorful Character» given to Cuban Culture Secretary, Abel Prieto, during the Second ACAA Congress.
• (April 2009) «With the wind on your side» given to Enrique Martínez Murillo, logistics representative of the Art of Valencia, Spain, the main sponsor of the Tenth Havana Biennial.

In January 2009, the emblematic work «Spurs, fire and passion» was chosen to be part of the background art for first-level gifts of the State Council of the Republic of Cuba. It was given to a distinguished political figure of the Russian state (apparently President Medvedev) during the official visit of President Raúl Castro Ruz to Russia in February 2009.