Raul Speek

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Raul was born in Guantanamo, Cuba in 1958 just as Castro's Cuban Revolution began and he is very much a child of the revolution.   His family were farmers way out in Guantanamo Province - a four hour drive and a six hour walk from the nearest metal led road.   The political changes in Cuba meant massive changes in the education and health systems: because of them Raul was able to leave the countryside and work initially with well known older Cuban artists and then go on to college.   Being both poor and coloured this would not previously have been open to him.  His works are exhibited widely in Cuba and he won many prizes for it.

 He came to live in Solva, Pembrokeshire sixteen years ago after a four year stay in London.  The BBC visited Havana in 1989 filming the young political artists, writers and creators who were very active there: Raul was one of these.  As a consequence of this the BBC arranged an exhibition for him at Holland Park Gallery in London.  He was unable to get out of Cuba to attend this but came to London shortly afterwards where he was granted British Nationality.   He opened a gallery in London's Spittalfields Market making friends with Gilbert and George who lived nearby and through them meeting Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin.  

 During this time Raul exhibited over much of Europe being part of a young black artists group many of whom have gone on to be world famous.   At first seduced by the buzz of the capital and the fast flowing art world around him it felt like another planet but he soon began to crave peace and quiet to get on with his work.   Meeting his current wife, Heather, he came by chance on holiday to Pembrokeshire and decided this was where he wanted to be.

 His work is multi faceted moving from abstract to figurative, from oil painting to printing to mixed media and from one dimension to sculptural pieces.   He uses whatever material he needs to express the links he makes between art, religion, science and politics and is very aware of the lessons history has to teach us.   He believes that the role of the artist is that of the seer - to gather in all forms of information and to form them into works which speek to those who see them.  He still exhibits world wide but prefers to be here, at home, as much as is possible.