Segundo Planes
(Pinar del Río, Cuba 1965)

Segundo Planes Herrera was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba on January 18, 1965, and has become a prominent visual artist whose work leaves a significant mark on the contemporary art scene. He took his early steps in the art world during his studies in Havana, Cuba, where he attended the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA), and the Escuela Provincial de Arte in Pinar del Río.

Segundo Planes' artistic career has been characterized by a series of individual and collective exhibitions that have taken his works to various corners of the world. Some of his notable solo exhibitions include "Muestra UNO" at the Afirme Gallery in Mexico City in 2015, "Lemas e himnos mutilados" at the G. E. Gallery in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2012, and "Sueño tallado en espuma" at the G. E. Gallery in Monterrey in 2011.

Regarding his participation in collective exhibitions, Segundo Planes has made his mark in events such as "Distopía(s)," itinerant across Spain and Europe in 2006, and "En las fronteras / Inbordelines (Latin American Art in the MEIAC Collection)," itinerant through the Cervantes Institutes of Central Europe in cities like Prague, Milan, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, Moscow, Brussels, among others.

Throughout his career, Segundo Planes has received numerous awards and distinctions highlighting his contribution to the art world. In 1988, he received the First Prize in painting and the Prize of the Cuban Fund for Cultural Goods (FCBC) at the IV National Salon of Awardees at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba. His talent was also recognized with the First Prize in painting at the IV Provincial Salon of Pinar del Río in the same year.

Segundo Planes' works are housed in prestigious collections worldwide, including the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba; the MARCO Museum in Monterrey, Mexico; the Museum of Modern Art in Cuenca, Ecuador; the Extremadura Ibero-American Museum of Contemporary Art (MEIAC) in Spain; the Nassau Country Museum of Art (NCMA) in New York, USA, and the Oded Golberg Collection in New York, USA, among others.

His work is characterized by its ability to merge surrealism with kitsch, creating a unique artistic language that reflects his profound exploration of childhood, the dreamlike, and the imaginary. Over the years, his style has evolved, demonstrating a notable creative maturity, as evidenced in his series "Insomnio" and "Tópicos de la vejez."

The move to Mexico in the nineties was a turning point in Segundo Planes' life and work, finding in this country a second land that significantly influenced his style and enriched his artistic palette. His spirituality and unique artistic direction have distinguished him as a singular creator in the contemporary art scene.

Despite his successes, a retrospective exhibition covering his extensive artistic production remains a pending challenge, and many in the art scene hope that cultural institutions, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey (MARCO), will consider the opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable trajectory of Segundo Planes Herrera. His contribution to contemporary painting, his introspective approach, and his ability to capture the essential mysteries surrounding all things make Segundo Planes a relevant figure in the international art scene.