Jose Bedia
Artist
Miami Connection
Since making Miami his home in 1993, Bedia has enriched the local art scene as a vital part of South Florida's Cuban diaspora, with his works in Pérez Art Museum Miami and exhibitions at venues like Fredric Snitzer Gallery and Gary Nader Fine Arts. He sources materials from Miami's botanicas for his Afro-Cuban inspired pieces, fostering cultural connections. In 2025, he received the Ellies Michael Richards Award from Oolite Arts, supporting South Florida's arts community.
About
Born in 1959 in Havana, Cuba, José Bedia studied at San Alejandro and graduated with honors from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA). He was a key figure in the groundbreaking 1981 Volumen 1 exhibition that transformed Cuban art. His travels to Angola, Africa, and Latin American countries deepened his focus on Afro-Transatlantic cultures and religions like Regla Kongo and Regla de Ocha. After living in Mexico, he settled in Miami in 1993, where he maintains his studio and draws inspiration from local botanicas for religious materials. Bedia's career highlights include exhibitions at major biennials in Venice and Beijing, and awards such as First Prize at the Beijing Biennale. He continues to produce influential work rooted in spiritual and anthropological themes.