Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlon Portales.
Hi Marlon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Marlon Portales. I’m a Cuban artist currently based in Miami. I was born in 1991 in Pinar del Río, Cuba, right at the beginning of one of the deepest crises in my country’s history, what we call the “Special Period.”
Since I was a child, my passion for art was clear. I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged that path. Even though we lived with very limited resources, they always tried to put tools in my hands, nurture my curiosity, and support my sensitivity. In Cuba, becoming an artist has always been both a dream and a real possibility. One thing I’ll always be grateful for is the Cuban art education system, free, rigorous, and deeply committed to craft and creativity.
In 2006, I entered the Visual Arts Academy in my hometown, where I received formal academic training, mainly in drawing and painting. Later in 2013, I was accepted into the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana, where the focus shifted toward conceptual, intellectual, and spiritual approaches to art.
By the time I graduated in 2018, I was already fully dedicated to my career. I had several solo and group shows, had participated in international residencies and competitions, and was earning a living from my work, both within Cuba and abroad. I had my own apartment and studio in Havana, where most of the pieces from that period are still stored.
In late 2019, I made the difficult decision to emigrate to the United States due to the worsening political, economic, and social situation in Cuba. I chose to move to Miami, partly for family reasons, but also because it felt like the place in the U.S. where Cuban culture is most alive and welcomed.
The first two years here were shaped by the pandemic. The art world came to a standstill, but I kept painting in my small rented apartment. As things slowly reopened, I began making connections within the local art community. First through group exhibitions, and eventually, in 2023, I held my first solo show in Miami, “Poems of Nature”, at Pan American Art Projects, which represented me at the time.
That project, which included more than 30 pieces, helped introduce my work to a wider audience and connect with artists, curators, collectors, and gallerists in the city. By mid-2024, I began working with my current gallery, Spinello Projects. I felt a deeper connection between my evolving artistic language and their curatorial vision. From that point on, I focused all my energy on producing my next solo show, The Last Man, which opened during Miami Art Basel at Spinello. I can confidently say that everything changed for me with that project; it marked a new chapter in my career.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t been easy. Nothing has been handed to me, and I’m still far from where I want to be. My journey has been built on persistence and dedication, on giving shape and presence to this thing we call art.
My biggest challenge, without a doubt, was leaving my country and starting over somewhere else. Emigrating is never just a physical move; it’s an emotional and spiritual rupture. I left behind my family, my wife, our home, my studio, and years of personal and creative history. I carried only the hope that somehow, I could rebuild it all here.
At the end of the day, the only thing we truly carry with us wherever we go is the love of the people we care about.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always seen myself as an artist. I’ve explored many mediums and techniques, but painting is my world. That’s where I always return.
For me, everything begins with experiences and ideas. That’s what feeds my art. Painting is not just a job or a craft, it’s a vital, spiritual need. No matter my circumstances, I need it in my life. My whole world revolves around it.
What inspires me is life itself: the people around me, the relationships I build, travel, dreams, desires, our darker sides, fears, the chaotic society we live in, even the hopeless romantic in all of us.
If I had to choose one project I’m most proud of, it would be “The Last Man”, my latest solo exhibition. In it, I began constructing a universe where ideas around identity, masculinity, gender, and spirituality can be questioned and celebrated all at once. It opened up a new path for me, both creatively and spiritually. Right now, it’s where all my attention and sensitivity are focused.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t really believe in luck, not in the traditional sense. I think it’s just a way we explain how convenient or inconvenient things happen to us. In the end, everything comes down to our actions and decisions.
Every good outcome I’ve had has come from hard work. Nothing’s been free, and I’ve had to fight for everything I’ve wanted. What people call “good luck” is usually just the result of showing up consistently, putting in the effort, building real connections, and being present when opportunities arise.
Also, making lots of mistakes and learning from them. But above all, it comes down to perseverance and consistency, two of the most terrifying and underrated human powers there are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marlonportalesartstudio.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/marlonart91
