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ART STATEMENT

The Art:

Claudio Castillo is a multi-dimensional multi-media artist who has combined fine art,

painting, video, photography, animation and computer programming into an art

form that takes on a life of its own. He creates kinetic and ever-evolving visions with thematic

variations where change is inevitable and happens before our very eyes.

Castillo has uniquely combined his many talents into a radically new concept–works of

art exploring time and motion that are romantic, philosophical, light and graceful. His

pieces not only evoke emotion, but also create fleeting ephemeral compositions allowing

the viewer to witness and get lost in the sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic effects of

the passage of life and of time, with the knowledge that it will never be repeated.

By embedding software in dreamlike, poetic watercolor landscapes, unlike linear video art,

he creates “non-linear regenerative paintings.” The end result is a moving, mesmerizing,

impermanent performance.

The work is viewed on a screen or projected, but can also be printed, recorded or streamed.

 He begins with digitized versions of his watercolors, splits the image into several layers, and

then animates each one in multiple ways. This creates the possibility of countless variations of

the painting as it morphs eternally into new compositions. In essence, he creates an

environmental world that is living and changing perpetually in a random non-linear way–whilst

at the same time the internal computer clock does the opposite, keeping accurate time and predicting 

natural cycles such as the phases of the moon or tides.

His iconography resonates as abstract forms of water, flowers, rain, sun, vines, grass,

roots, sky, rocks and more. These are rendered schematically and change subtly toward

abstraction. The introduction of multiplicity, chance, and natural cycles into a single

image, and its pre-programmed control, opens the work up to a world of puzzling

juxtapositions of impermanence and ceaselessness. These generative pieces also

make use of Internet connectivity to reflect real-time data within the work’s imagery,

creating artwork that responds to incoming stimuli.

Generative art has been around as a concept since the cavemen when they stared at shadows

from their fires. In ancient Greece Heraclitus proclaimed, “you will not walk in the same river

twice”. Other Contemporary artists have dealt with the challenges of time and

movement differently, be it Calder’s kinetic mobile sculptures or Nam June Paik’s electronic

world of linear videos and television sculptures.  Even Duchamp did “Three

Stoppages” when he let gravity alter the shape and movement of three pieces of string

falling, never repeating the same result.

When computers came along John Simon created “Every Icon” where a pixel moves in

a grid creating every possible composition driven by an algorithm. In music, John Cage

created his 639 year-long piece entitled “As slow as possible”. And, Brian Eno

combined audio and video in his generative light boxes displaying moving LEDs that

never repeat.

The evolution of technology in art is exemplified by Castillo’s successful merger of fine

art and perpetual motion. Prints or linear videos from the generative process offer a

recognizable artistic experience, however the “work” itself is never done. In this way, it

challenges the whole concept of art since there is no end to the potential variations. His

work will continue to be created well after his death.

EXHIBITIONS

ART WYNWOOD Feb 2024

EPIPHANY IN ART TODAY, CHAPEL LA MERCED, MIAMI Jan 2024

CONTEXT/ART  MIAMI Dec 2023.

CONTEXT/ART  MIAMI Dec 2022.

MHCAC Jan 2022.

CONTEXT/ART  MIAMI Dec 2021.

NFT WEEK NYC , New York City 2021.

CADAF Virtual Fair June 2020.

MHCAC Virtual art group show SOS earth day April 2020.

Raw Space (solo) Vero Beach January 2020.

Context Art Fair Miami Art week Dec 2019.

From Generative art to stained glass MHCAC December 2019

Miami Beach Art deco Museum (solo) January 2019.

Ecce mater tua, Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center. May 2018.

LA art, California, January 2018.

Intercontinental digital take over for Miami art week (solo), December 2017.

Hispanic Cultural Art Center (solo), Miami, December 2017.

Fat village, January Fort Lauderdale, Fl 2017.

LA art California, January 2017.

Spectrum, Miami Florida, Dec 2016.

SOBU Miami Art week, FL 2016.

Florida Contemporaries, The Baker Museum, Naples, FL January 2016.

Spectrum, Miami, FL December 2015.

Art Expo New York, NY March 2014.

Spectrum, Miami, FL December 2014.

Art Palm Beach, January 2014

MIA Sea Fair, Miami,  January 2014,

SCOPE Art Fair, Miami  December 2013,

Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), Disrupted Nature  May, 2013

Fountain Art Fair, New York, March 2013

FAT VILLAGE, Ft Lauderdale, March 2013

Brisky Gallery, Miami, February 2013

MIA Sea Fair, February 2013

Groundspace Project  Los Angeles, January 2013

Parallax Fair, Miami, FL , December 2012

Art Miami, Miami, Fl , December 2011

Edgezones, Miami, Fl , December 2011

Art Miami, Miami, Fl , December 2010

Solo Show Arte Americas, Tresart, Miami Fl, March 2010

Imaginarium, Ft Lauderdale, Fl, February -March 13 2010

Art Miami, Miami, Fl , December 2009

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Animamix Biennial, Taiwan, November 2009

Naples Museum of Art, Fl, Latin American Painting Now, October 2009

Hot Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland, June 2009

Arte Americas, Miami, FL, March 2009

Art Expo, New York City, NY, February 2009

Nicole Henry Gallery Group Show, Palm Beach, FL, November 2009

Art Miami, Miami, Fl, December 2009

Nicole Henry Gallery, Palm Beach, FL, November 2009

Museum of Latin American ArtLong Beach, CA, Beyond Photoshop, Sept 2008

PINTA, Contemporary Art Fair, New York City , NY, November 2008

Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, CA, Awards 08 Show, Sept 2008

CCE/Museum of Modern Art, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, June 2008

Tresart Cuban Contemporaries, Miami , FL, May 2008

Arte Americas, Miami, FL, March 2008

Edgezones Group Show, Miami, FL, December 2007

Art Futures Group Show, Miami, FL, December 2007

Art Miami, Miami, FL, December 2007

PINTA Contemporary Art Fair, New York City, NY, November 2007

Museum of Contemporary Art ShanghaiAnimamix Biennial, China, October 2007

Art Expo, Las Vegas, NV, September 2007

Group Show, Art Futures Gallery, Miami, FL, July 2007

“Light on San Servolo” Art Fair, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy, June 2007

CIGE Art Fair, Beijing, China, May 2007

CIRCA Art Fair, Puerto Rico, April 2007

DiVA Video Art Fair, New York City, NY, February 2007

Group Show, “Zones Fair”, Edgezones , Miami, FL, December 2006

Group Show, “Moving Image”, Alonso Gallery, Miami, FL, November 2006

Group Show, Edgezones, Miami, FL, December 2005

Group Show, “Son,” Design Center of the Americas, Hollywood, FL, 1993

Solo Show, Brickell Square, Miami, FL, 1992

Group Show, “Comet Halley”, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY, 1985

Group Show, Galeria Sigfrido, Madrid, Spain, 1982

Solo Show, Bacardi Gallery, Miami, FL, 1979

Solo Show, El Sombrero Gallery, Torremolinos, Spain, 1977

 AWARDS

Winner of the 2008 Museum of Latin American Art’s award in the category of video and photography.

PRESS
el Nuevo Herald art week 2023

ENGLISH

 


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studio visit with sophie de la plaine

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Inaugural issue of The Currency Spring 2022


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'El arte salva', una exposición virtual por el Día de la Tierra


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Miami Beach rastreando museos

girasoles


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Miami Today

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Diario de Cuba Claudio Castillo expone su 'arte generativo' en Miami

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Arte retando al tiempo

girasoles


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Museum opens Special Exhibition

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Claudio Castillo, Generative Art

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Claudio Castillo, el arte de provocar al tiempo

El artista cubanoamericano, radicado en Miami, usa la tecnología

digital para generar una infinidad de posibilidades visuales que parten de una obra plástica.


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El arte efímero y a la vez eterno de Claudio Castillo gracias a la informática


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LA REVISTA DE LA NOCHE


Entrevista 13 minutos con el artista. Febrero 2018





Entrevista 33 minutos con el artista. Enero 11, 2018





La Virgen de la Caridad en ferias de arte y museos. Wednesday, December 27, 2017


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Claudio Castillo: Arte inteligente
en movimiento

19 de diciembre de 2017

Claudio Castillo (La Habana, Cuba, 1958) es el autor de una de las obras de mayores dimensiones que se expuso en la semana del arte de Miami.


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Castillo en el centro de Arte Cultural Hispànico de Miami.

Arte en Movimiento por Claudio Castillo presenta una amplia gama de obras del artista, desde acuarelas hasta videos, piezas interactivas
y “arte generativo” creado al menos parcialmente por un sistema no humano o algoritmo.


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Obra de un artista cubano ocupa la icónica fachada de un hotel de

Florida durante la Semana de Arte en Miami.


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CLAUDIO CASTILLO: GENERATIVE ARTIST
LEYLA SHARABI DEC 2017


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Cubanoamericano con la obra de mayores dimensiones en Art Basel Miami


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Obra de cubano releva a famosas bailarinas en la fachada de hotel en Miami
Con motivo de la Semana del Arte en Miami, que tiene como epicentro Art Basel, que se celebra del 7 al 12 de diciembre,
Castillo despliega “El nadador” a lo largo de un “lienzo digital” de 19 pisos del hotel InterContinental.


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Se trata de una composición creada especialmente para la enorme fachada y

que hace parte de una veintena de piezas “generativas” de este artista nacido en La Habana



¿Qué hacer en Miami? Arte y entretenimiento

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De la pintura a lo digital: Claudio Castillo exhibe su arte generativo en Miami

El Hotel InterContinental Miami acoge la obra del artista cubanoamericano Claudio Castillo, la cual podrá verse del 8 al 10 de septiembre


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Una obra del artista cubanoestadounidense Claudio Castillo

ocupa a partir de hoy la icónica fachada de un hotel de Miami y

sacará temporalmente a las siluetas de bailarines haciendo

coreografías que normalmente se proyectan allí durante la noche.


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5 ARTISTS WHOSE WORK YOU HAVE TO SEE DURING MIAMI ART WEEK


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MIAMI.-El arte del cubanoamericano Claudio Castillo llega al Miami Hispanic Arts Center. Del 16

de noviembre al 16 de diciembre se podrá apreciar la colección Arte en movimiento, que reúne por

primera vez piezas de todas las facetas de la producción artística de Castillo:

acuarelas y obras digitales (generativas, interactivas y vídeo).


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Cuando vemos su obra podríamos quedarnos con lo superficial:

la belleza de las imágenes y la evidencia de la relación entre arte y tecnología.

Pero su obra es sometida a un complicado proceso en el que vale la pena detenerse.


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Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Centre




ARTES PLÁSTICAS
Claudio Castillo cierra el año con dos exposiciones monumentales en solitario


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El artista cubanoamericano, Claudio Castillo, exhibe a partir del jueves su obra de la colección Arte en Movimiento en el Miami Hispanic Center.


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Virgen de la Caridad que desaparece podrá ser visitada en la Ermita


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Art aficionados from around the globe descended onto Miami last week for the city’s annual Design Week, hosting art fairs and exhibits featuring both established and upcoming talents. One such fair is SCOPE


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Artistas cubanos, chilenos y dominicanos presentan sus obras en la Exposición Internacional de Galerías de Pekín.


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MIAMI, ART CAPITAL OF LATIN AMERICA


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BIO / CV

Bio

Claudio Castillo has exhibited his generative work in international art fairs and museums in the US, China and Europe. He started technology and video companies in London, Madrid and New York. He lives and works in Miami Florida as an artist.

 

Education

Middlesex Polytechnic, London, UK 1981

London International Film School, London, UK 1978-80

Université D’Aix Marseille, France 1977

Battisborough School, Holbeton , Devon England 75-76

 

Selected Solo and Group Shows

Raw Space (solo) Vero Beach January 2020

Miami Beach Art Deco Museum (solo) January 2019

Intercontinental Digital Take Over for Miami Art Week (solo), December 2017

Hispanic Cultural Art Center (solo), Miami, December 2017

Florida Contemporaries, The Baker Museum, Naples, FL January 2016

Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), Disrupted Nature  May, 2013

Solo Show Arte Americas, Tresart, Miami Beach Convention center, March 2010

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Animamix Biennial, Taiwan, November 2009

Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, CA, Awards 08 Show, Sept 2008

Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, Animamix Biennial, China, October 2007

“Light on San Servolo” Art Fair, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy, June 2007

Group Show, “Moving Image”, Alonso Gallery, Miami, FL, November 2006

 

Software

Antics, Avid, Photoshop, Flash, Premiere, After Effects, Final Cut

 

Languages

English, Spanish, French (mid level)

 

Awards

Winner of the 2008 Museum of Latin American Art’s award in the category of video and photography

CONTACT / LOGIN
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FAQS

FRAMING OPTIONS

 
WHAT IS THE WORK?
 
Claudio’s work is self-generating artwork performed by an algorithm from original watercolor animations done by the artist. The computer is not ‘creating’ anything, It is sequencing the playback of several layers of movies in a random, non-linear way so that every single viewing is unique. The software acts as a sequencer. It is also predicting the lunar and tidal phases using the internal computer clock since it knows where it is and the time of day. It is, in a sense, a performance or natural phenomenon like a fireplace. The original art piece will auto regenerate in infinite, unpredictable compositions. This is not video art, every viewing or print is an original one off piece of art. The art will continue re-creating itself well after the artist’s death, taking on a life of its own. The six-layer pieces have approximately 1 chance of repetition in 8 trillion years, the 4-layer pieces have a chance of repetition in approximately 400,000 years. However since it is also random it could repeat any time. Generative art is also art that reacts to live data feeds. Through an RSS feed and INTERNET connectivity the artwork reacts to the news, weather or stock market conditions in real time.
 
The artwork is programmed to turn itself off everyday. It also turns on by itself everyday. This is done in order to make sure the artwork (software) is re-started to clear any potential problems if any. On a Mac, the system may turn off for various hours a day in order to extend the life of the hardware. On a PC it may sleep for several hours. On delivery, the collector decides when those hours occur. In any case, the down period can be overwritten by turning it on manually. The artwork can be connected through the Internet to the artist’s studio and remote troubleshooting and additional content is available.

 

WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THIS WORK?

Each layer has 32 movies of 90 frames each, so the number of total combinations is:

4 layers:
32x90x32x90x32x90x32x90 = 68,797,071,360,000

6 layers:
32x90x32x90x32x90x32x90x32x90x32×90 = 570,630,428,688,384,000,000

The life of the universe is approximately 15 billion years. The 6 layer time is 8.8 trillion years…

 

WHAT AM I BUYING?

A complete piece of art comprises all necessary hardware and software. The actual artwork is contained in the external USB drive attached to the computer. The owner receives a certificate of sale and a certificate of authenticity. A backup copy of the artwork is kept in a repository on the web in case of catastrophic damage. The generative series started as Adobe Flash AS2 and Adobe Flash AS3 as AIR applications. All of the artwork was re-written in C++ in 2020, collectors can receive a new copy of their artwork at no charge, the C++ version is the recommended version to use until further notice, this is due to Adobe stopping the support of their own Flash SWF and FLV formats, please note the Flash Adobe version will continue working, there will always be Adobe Flash legacy support through emulators.

WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE?

The owner receives a loaded complete system that includes all hardware and software, the software is installed inside the computer and is also inside an external USB drive, connected to the computer.

HOW MANY COPIES ARE THERE?

The owner has one copy out of an edition of eight. The Artist has two artists proofs.